The World Bank Group is convening a Africa Skills for Jobs Policy Academy in Nairobi to address the critical skills gap affecting the continent’s youth.
The event, scheduled for September 30 to October 3, 2025, will bring together senior policymakers, private sector leaders, and World Bank representatives to develop actionable plans for reforming technical and vocational education and training (TVET).
The Academy, organized in collaboration with the Government of Kenya and the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), will focus on tackling the systemic challenges that leave millions of young people without the skills needed for a rapidly changing job market. Over one million youth enter the labor market every month, yet up to 86% of available jobs are in the informal sector, and many young people lack the relevant skills for both informal and high-growth sectors.
The event will coincide with the official launch of the African Continental TVET Strategy 2025–2034, providing a platform for stakeholders to co-create innovative solutions aligned with the vision of “the Africa we want.”
“The Skills for Jobs Africa Policy Academy brings governments, industry, and development partners together to co-create solutions and reforms that will lay the foundation to ensure a bright future for Africa’s youth,” said Ndiame Diop, Regional Vice President for Eastern and Southern Africa, The World Bank Group.
Prof. Gaspard Banyankimbona, Executive Secretary of the IUCEA, highlighted key challenges undermining the responsiveness of current systems, including limited funding, weak industry collaboration, and a mismatch between training content and actual job requirements. “Africa’s youth need hands-on and quality technical and vocational education to thrive,” he stated.
With megatrends like digitalization, artificial intelligence, and climate change reshaping the future of work, the Academy will underscore the urgent need for demand-driven and high-quality skills systems. The program will support upskilling, reskilling, and lifelong learning for diverse groups, including women and youth in both the formal and informal sectors.
The event will host approximately 250 participants from over 20 Sub-Saharan African countries, who will engage in keynotes, panels, and peer-learning sessions. The goal is to provide leaders with the tools to reimagine Africa’s skills development ecosystem and ensure it can meet the evolving needs of the labor market.