Education
Africa’s $50bn Private Higher Education Sector Set for Accelerated Growth
By Dorian Maillard
The world is hurtling headlong into a digital future, and one crucial resource is in short supply: tech talent. Projections paint a stark picture. By 2030, the global tech talent shortage could soar to 85 million, translating to $8.5 trillion in potential lost annual revenue, and there’s no viable solution at scale to fill this looming deficit.
Yet, amidst this intensifying scramble for tech talent, a paradox unfolds. Africa, a continent brimming with potential, stands as a vast, untapped, and overlooked goldmine of tech talent that will be home to over 200 million digital natives by 2030. While the reasons for Africa’s underrepresentation in global tech are complex and multifaceted, innovative solutions are emerging, countless initiatives are underway, and the potential for further progress is enormous.
Navigating critical challenges in Africa’s higher education
Quality of education
African universities face challenges in delivering high-quality education, impeding the development of tech talent. Outdated curricula often fall short of meeting the dynamic demands of the tech industry, leaving graduates with skills misaligned with practical job requirements and the latest technologies. In addition, inadequate infrastructure and resources hinder hands-on training, limiting students’ ability to acquire necessary expertise.
Access to education
Ensuring broader access to higher education is imperative. Doing so involves tackling challenges related to affordability, enhancing infrastructure, and facilitating access to online education, which has gained heightened significance in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite notable strides in extending education across all age groups and internet access and smartphone penetration exceeding 80% in most developed African countries, many individuals struggle to access education. Over 20% of primary-age children and nearly 60% of youth aged 15 to 17 remain excluded from education, whether in the digital realm or the physical world.
Affordability is a primary barrier. Soaring tuition costs, coupled with constrained financial resources, often prevent talented individuals from pursuing advanced studies. This burden disproportionately affects students from low-income households, who struggle to afford basic tuition fees, let alone additional expenses like accommodation, textbooks, and transportation. The scarcity of financial aid and scholarships exacerbates the problem, leaving many deserving individuals without the means to pursue their educational goals.
Inadequate infrastructure, particularly in rural areas, poses another significant obstacle to educational access. Shortages of classrooms and libraries hinder the learning process, limiting opportunities for higher education. Furthermore, insufficient technology resources, such as computers, internet connectivity, and educational software, contribute to a widening digital divide that intensifies educational disparities and prevents individuals from meeting the demands of the 21st-century tech workforce.
Economic, political stability, and industry engagement
A robust and stable economic and political environment is the cornerstone for fostering a thriving tech talent ecosystem. It provides a fertile ground for businesses to invest in R&D, creating opportunities for tech professionals to learn, innovate, and refine their skills. This fuels technological advancements, propelling the sector forward and attracting further investment.
Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) like the World Bank, IFC, BII, Unicaf, DEG, SwedFund, Norfund, IDC, and OPIC, in collaboration with governments, universities, and businesses, have a vital role to play in fostering a more prosperous business environment, which directly and indirectly benefits the education sector. These organisations can identify skills gaps, develop training programs, and catalyse new partnerships to generate employment opportunities for graduates.
Governments and DFIs have already made notable achievements by implementing sound policies. Seychelles now ranks among the top 50 education systems globally, surpassing countries like Ukraine, Hungary, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates. The country has achieved an impressive 99% literacy rate among its 15-24-year-old population by implementing free, mandatory education and partnering with DFIs to help fund infrastructure expansions, enhance teacher training, and develop innovative programs.
Tunisia is another success story. Despite grappling with political and economic instability, the country has positioned itself as an educational leader in Africa, boasting the second-best education system on the continent. This achievement can be attributed to the Tunisian government’s allocation of 12-20% of GDP to education.
These examples, drawn from two small countries with a combined population exceeding 12 million, provide compelling evidence of the transformative potential inherent in effective policymaking and collaboration. Implementing similar policies in larger countries like Nigeria, Egypt, or South Africa would amplify the impact, potentially addressing a significant portion of the global shortage of skilled tech workers.
The time to make a strategic bet on African edtech
Africa is home to the world’s largest untapped pool of potential talents capable of addressing the growing global shortage of tech workers. Given the rapidly evolving nature of technology and the continent’s complex operating landscape, realising this potential will require a concerted effort from governments, DFIs, and the private sector.
Despite its considerable size, the market for specialised tech higher education is primarily controlled by entities in developed countries, creating an artificial barrier for tech talent in developing nations. However, forward-thinking companies are beginning to break through these barriers, garnering support from reputable private equity investors.
As global markets rebound, we expect Africa’s $50bn private higher education sector to accelerate. Industry leaders are poised to emerge, capitalising on the continent’s affordable supply of teachers and real estate and advancing AI-driven tools to speed up content generation and performance assessments. These factors will create a virtuous cycle of growth whereby lower costs fuel innovation, which attracts more students and investors, leading to further expansion and cost reduction. This will give rise to “high-risk, high-reward” opportunities that offer above-market returns in an environment constrained by demographic challenges in developed countries.
Dorian Maillard is the Vice President of DAI Magister
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has dismissed rumours suggesting Nigerian scholarship students in Morocco have been abandoned, describing the reports as misleading and “deliberately crafted to misinform the public.”
Recently, a video went viral on social media showing that the students studying in Morocco under the federal government scholarship scheme were facing hardships, including homelessness and a lack of medical support.
However, in a statement signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations of the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Boriowo Folasade, the Minister of Education, Mr Tunji Alausa, clarified that no Nigerian student on a valid federal government scholarship has been abandoned.
“The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, has clarified that no Nigerian student on a valid Federal Government scholarship has been abandoned. All beneficiaries duly enrolled under the Bilateral Education Scholarship (BES) Programme prior to 2024 have received payments up to the 2024 budget year, in line with the Federal Government’s obligations.
“Any temporary delays in outstanding payments are attributable to fiscal constraints and are currently being addressed through ongoing engagements between the Federal Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance,” Mr Alausa stated.
“The Minister further stated that no new bilateral scholarship awards were made in October 2025 or at any time thereafter. Documents being circulated to suggest otherwise are fake, unauthenticated, and constitute a calculated attempt to mislead the public and discredit government policy.
“Dr Alausa explained that the decision to discontinue government-funded bilateral scholarships abroad followed a comprehensive policy review, which established that Nigeria now possesses sufficient capacity within its universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education to deliver the affected programmes locally.
“Consequently, only scholarships that are fully funded by foreign governments are now being supported, with all financial obligations borne entirely by the host countries.
“Notwithstanding this policy shift, the Federal Government remains fully committed to students already enrolled under the previous arrangements and will continue to support them until the completion of their programmes.
“In addition, students who may prefer to discontinue their studies abroad may formally write to the Director, Department of Scholarship Awards. Such students are being offered the option of returning to Nigeria, where they will be seamlessly reintegrated into appropriate tertiary institutions of their choice. The Federal Government will also cover their return travel costs to ensure a smooth and orderly transition,” the statement noted.
According to the Minister, the current administration remains committed to eliminating inefficiencies and abuses within the scholarship system, stressing that past practices that sponsored overseas training for courses already well established in Nigeria placed avoidable financial burdens on the nation.
He reaffirmed that the ongoing reforms are therefore aimed at promoting transparency, accountability, and the prudent management of public resources.
The federal government reiterated its unwavering commitment to the welfare of Nigerian students and strongly rejects misinformation, blackmail, or any attempt to undermine policies designed to strengthen national capacity and safeguard the integrity of the education sector.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A significant step has been taken by the duo of Alternative Bank (AltBank) and the Busayo Ademuyiwa Foundation (BAF) to address the declining access to trained educators across Nigeria.
The two organisations recently a one-day capacity programme for teachers in the country at the 2025 BAF Teachers’ Conference in Lagos.
The event delivered hands-on training to hundreds of primary and secondary school teachers drawn from underserved communities across the country.
Nigeria’s education sector sits at a critical inflection point. With over 65 per cent of classrooms in underserved regions lacking access to trained educators or modern teaching tools, the learning crisis represents a structural failure with long-term economic consequences if not adequately addressed.
Rather than focus on policy rhetoric or aspirational targets, the conference tackled hard realities including teacher burnout, mental resilience, classroom innovation on a budget, and digital skill development.
Sessions were designed for practicality and replication, enabling attendees to take back immediately usable tools and frameworks to their schools. Specialised workshops on emotional health, low-tech teaching methodologies, and inclusive learning design underscored a broader commitment to both teacher well-being and student outcomes.
Key stakeholders in attendance included policymakers, school heads, and representatives from Nigeria’s corporate CSR sector, underscoring the convergence between social investment and educational equity.
Featured speakers included the president of the Nigerian Union of Teachers, Mr Audu Titus Amba; the General Manager of BIC Nigeria, Mr Anthony Amawe; the founder of Almanah Hope Foundation, Hope Ifeyinwa Nwakwesi; and Doyinsola Jawando-Adebomehin of Sequoia Span.
“The people who hold up Nigeria’s education system don’t need applause, they need backup,” the Executive Director for South at AltBank, Mrs Korede Demola-Adeniyi, stated.
“We see this platform as critical infrastructure. Equipping a teacher with the right tools and support is the most direct path to long-term national productivity,” she added.
“The challenge in Nigeria’s education sector is execution, not awareness. This partnership is part of a broader operational strategy to find the pressure points, inject support where it changes outcomes, and back it with measurable value. Our role is catalytic, not just financial,” Mrs Demola-Adeniyi stated further.
Business Post reports that the conference aligns with the bank’s HEART Strategy, a long-term investment thesis focused on Health, Education, Agriculture, Renewable Energy, and Technology.
Under this framework, the Bank continues to deploy capital and partnerships into scalable solutions targeting Nigeria’s most underserved sectors.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Plans have been concluded by Nigerian Breweries to support about 1,000 Nigerian students in Lagos, Ogun, and Enugu States.
The foremost brewing company is carrying out this empowerment initiative with a leading non-profit organisation, FATE Foundation, through the Orange Corners Student Ambassadors Programme of the Netherlands.
This partnership marks a significant step in advancing youth entrepreneurship in Nigeria, equipping young people with the knowledge, skills, and opportunities needed to build sustainable businesses and contribute meaningfully to the nation’s economy.
This is because the scheme is to promote entrepreneurship and offer networking opportunities in Nigerian tertiary institutions. Ambassadors are selected from specific universities to inspire students to see entrepreneurship as a desirable career path and to foster a culture of innovation within universities.
It targets students aged 18–35 currently enrolled in tertiary institutions across Lagos, Ogun, and Enugu States.
“The partnership reinforces Nigerian Breweries’ long-standing commitment to youth empowerment and entrepreneurship development. Through initiatives like this, we are creating pathways for the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders in Nigeria,” the Corporate Affairs Director for Nigerian Breweries, Mr Uzodinma Odenigbo, stated.
He further highlighted the company’s track record in youth empowerment, noting that since the renewed focus on youth empowerment and entreprenuership, Nigerian Breweries has impacted 2,365 young Nigerians across 24 states and the FCT.
Also speaking on the partnership, the Executive Director of FATE Foundation, Ms Adenike Adeyemi, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration between Nigerian Breweries and the Orange Corners Programme.
“Nigerian Breweries has been a longstanding partner with Orange Corners Nigeria in many ways. We are delighted to have the company continue to support the Orange Corners Programme and elated that this commitment will reach an additional 1000 young Nigerians leveraging the proven Orange Corners Student Ambassadors framework,” she said.
Ms Adeyemi outlined FATE Foundation’s role to include designing and delivering the training curriculum, managing student registration and participation, maintaining accurate records of all beneficiaries, and coordinating all logistical and technical aspects to ensure successful programme delivery.
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