Côte d’Ivoire is expanding digital skills development within its technical and vocational education system through a new partnership between the Ministry in charge of Technical Education, Cybastion and THEYA Foundation.
The partnership is being implemented through the Africa DigiEmpower programme, which aims to strengthen the digital capabilities of educators and equip technical and vocational schools with skills relevant to the evolving digital economy.
The initiative was officially launched on September 4 at Lycée Technique d’Abidjan, bringing together Ivorian government officials, education leaders and representatives from Cybastion and THEYA Foundation.
More than 70 educators participated in training during the launch, focusing on high-demand technology areas including cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. The programme uses internationally certified courses from Cisco Networking Academy to support structured and industry-relevant digital skills development.
Africa DigiEmpower adopts a training-of-trainers model, allowing participating educators to transfer the knowledge and capabilities gained through the programme to students in vocational schools. This approach is intended to extend the programme’s reach while creating sustainable digital skills capacity within Côte d’Ivoire’s education system.
Jean-Louis Moulot, Minister Delegate for Technical Education, and Etile Philomene Badou, Principal of Lycée Technique d’Abidjan, highlighted the programme’s relevance to the country’s technical education and broader digital development priorities.
Cybastion Managing Director of Digital Solutions Edgar Bouba said developing a skilled workforce will be essential for countries seeking to benefit from digital transformation and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
THEYA Foundation Program Manager Fatima Kourouma also emphasised the importance of young people in supporting Côte d’Ivoire’s economic and digital development.
The pilot is expected to provide a foundation for expanding Africa DigiEmpower across Côte d’Ivoire’s network of technical education institutions. Beyond cybersecurity and AI, the programme will introduce educators and students to practical skills in networking, coding and digital fundamentals.
The initiative forms part of Cybastion’s Digital Fast Track approach, which focuses on helping countries build local technology skills and capabilities required to sustain digital transformation and increase participation in the digital economy.
By strengthening educators first and enabling them to train students, the programme seeks to create a multiplier effect within Côte d’Ivoire’s technical education system and support the development of a workforce prepared for growing demand for digital and technology skills.
