Lagos Business School (LBS) has recently co-published a white paper in collaboration with Singapore Management University and Elevandi, a not-for-profit organisation that engages with governments, businesses, academia, and civil society to foster international alliances on technology innovation, application and adoption.

The publication includes contributions from Professor Olayinka David-West, the school’s associate dean, and Tolulope Christos Oyeniran, a researcher at LBS.

Titled Africa’s Digital Renaissance: Unlocking Talent And Digital Skills for the Future of Finance, the paper explores key strategies and actionable insights for forming crucial partnerships between technology firms, academic institutions, and government agencies to achieve sustainable growth and development.

The paper highlights several focus areas:

Academia-Industry Collaboration

Partnerships between academic institutions and industry to transform Africa’s workforce for the digital economy. By leveraging relevant, industry-driven research to develop curricula, academic institutions can equip learners with the skills to meet current and future industry demands.

 Youthful Demographic Advantage

Africa’s youthful population presents a unique opportunity for sustainable development and economic growth. To harness this advantage, education must be aligned with the needs of the labour market.

Challenges and Opportunities:

The report highlights the underutilisation of Africa’s human capital, with only 55% of its potential being tapped. The mismatch between the education system’s output and the skills needed in the digital economy is identified as a significant challenge.

Read the full report: Africa Digital Renaissance Unlocking Talent And Digital Skills for the Future of Finance