Upskilling and Reskilling: Building a Future-Ready Public Service

The world of work is changing rapidly due to new technologies. To ensure African public servants are ready for the challenges and opportunities that these technological advancements present, upskilling and reskilling are essential.

Advancements in technology such as automation and artificial intelligence (AI) are rapidly reshaping the world of work with the World Bank predicting that 40% of jobs could be automated by 2030.   

For the African public sector, most of which still operates manually, automation presents both a challenge and an opportunity. It highlights the urgent need for digital transformation, upskilling, and reskilling to ensure public servants can effectively leverage technology rather than be displaced by it. Without proactive investment in workforce development, there is a risk of widening inefficiencies and deepening the digital divide. However, with the right training and policies, automation can enhance service delivery, improve transparency, and drive more efficient governance across the continent.

To address the digital skills gap in public service, African countries are investing in training programmes in areas such as data analysis, digital literacy, cybersecurity, project management, and adaptive leadership. Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa have developed initiatives specifically aimed at advancing digital transformation in the public sector. 

However, given the scale of the efforts, governments must leverage the expertise and resources of  the private sector to close the gap swiftly. At the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, we understand the importance of technology in enhancing productivity and have a partnership with the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation in Nigeria to support digital transformation across the public sector. A core aspect of this support is focused on strengthening the capacity of the public servants, ensuring that they are equipped to leverage new technologies for more effective public service.   

Last year, we partnered with Microsoft Philanthropies to deliver digital upskilling training for civil servants and plan to hold more training programmes in 2025. Additionally,  ‘Harnessing Technology’ is one of the modules of our AIG Public Leaders Programme, our flagship executive education programme for mid-level African public servants. We are taking our support  a notch higher by launching an e-learning platform for our alumni association, promoting digital literacy and encouraging the use of technology for innovation in the public sector. You can find out more about our capacity-building initiatives for the public sector here.