A thriving economy is built on talent. Across Africa, the job market faces a growing shortage of highly skilled professionals in critical fields such as engineering, health, agriculture, digital technologies, and others. A decade ago, a survey by the Africa Investors Council revealed that major companies struggled to recruit qualified talent in these areas, while the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) reported that only about 20% of higher education students in sub-Saharan Africa were enrolled in scientific and technological disciplines.
Faced with this reality, a quiet yet transformative revolution began with the creation of Africa’s Higher Education Centers of Excellence (ACEs) in 2014.
A strategic investment for a lasting impact
With over $657 million from the World Bank and a co-financing of around $72 million from the French Development Agency (AFD), the program has enhanced the quality of scientific and technological education through the creation of more than 80 Centers of Excellence across 50 universities in 20 African countries. It has not only transformed higher education but has also strengthened applied research and innovation—key drivers of Africa’s competitiveness.
To date, the ACE program has:
– trained over 90,000 students, including 7,650 in PhD and 30,200 in master’s;
– produced more than 10,350 internationally peer-reviewed research publications;
– provided nearly 18,000 internships, connecting students with companies and facilitating the practical application of research;
– increased the presence of women in science, with a female enrollment rate of nearly 32%;
– established 600 nationally accredited programs and over 130 internationally accredited programs; and
– provided over $183 million in external funding generated to ensure the program’s sustainability.
Through investments in state-of-the-art facilities and cutting-edge laboratories, the ACE initiative has achieved a bold objective: positioning Africa as a global player in research and innovation. Gone are the days when the best students had to travel outside the continent for quality education. Today, they can be trained in Africa, and they are staying to contribute to crucial fields such as health, agriculture, engineering, environment, energy, transport, and digital technologies.
Beyond numbers: A real-life impact
Beyond statistics, these advancements have directly improved people’s lives. In Nigeria, researchers at Redeemer’s University have been at the forefront of high-quality transnational genomics-based research, with the development of new solutions for addressing wide ranging public health challenges. They played a key role in sequencing the Ebola and COVID-19 genomes, contributing to global efforts to combat these pandemics. Agricultural biotechnology advancements by ACEs in Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria have resulted in the development of improved crop varieties with enhanced resilience to diseases, pests, and environmental challenges. In Ghana alone, approximately 280 improved crop varieties have been introduced, enabling over a million farmers across 10 countries to significantly boost their productivity. The integration of artificial intelligence and the “Internet of Things” into academic curricula in Rwanda, Nigeria, and Senegal is preparing a new generation of professionals for the jobs of the future. More importantly, many ACE graduates are helping to adopt and adapt new and existing technologies to increase productivity and economic growth.
These successes – among many others – demonstrate that Africa is not just a consumer of knowledge but a key player in global innovation, capable of developing solutions tailored to local and global challenges.
Staying on Course: Shaping Future Trajectories
As we celebrate a decade of impact, the work is still incomplete. The priority now is to consolidate these achievements and amplify the transformation of Africa. This week, governments, universities, Centers of Excellence, and their partners are convening in Accra, Ghana, to assess the program and outline the strategic direction for the future. This important gathering offers the opportunity to strengthen commitments from governments and partners to ensure program sustainability, and to expand partnership opportunities between universities and industries to boost job creation and graduate employability.
It is crucial to leverage digital technologies, especially the rapid advancements in AI, to enhance program access and quality, while expanding the pool of experts in advanced digital skills across the continent. Enhancing regional collaborations to maximize the impact of research and development and translation of research to market across the continent are also key to fostering a more integrated and dynamic innovation ecosystem.
Developing highly skilled workforce is an economic imperative for Africa
Africa’s future depends on a highly skilled workforce. The ACE initiative has proven that investing in higher education is not just an academic pursuit—it is an economic necessity. These Centers of Excellence have laid the foundation for a knowledge-driven economy, powered by African talent, African research, and African solutions.
Now, more than ever, continued investment in higher education is crucial to ensure Africa’s competitiveness and innovation on the global stage. The opportunity to shape the next chapter of this transformation is in our hands. Let us empower Africa’s brightest minds to learn, lead, and drive the continent’s transformation from within.
