A new initiative by tech platform, TechNovelle, in partnership with global learning provider, DataCamp, is set to tackle Africa’s growing artificial intelligence (AI) and data skills gap with a focus on underserved communities in Nigeria and other countries across the continent.

The programme, led by cybersecurity strategist and AI product expert, Rianat Abbas, aims to train at least 100 individuals in data science, machine learning, and responsible AI development.

Beneficiaries will come from low-access regions in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and beyond.

Abbas, who co-founded TechNovelle and currently leads secure-by-design product development at the African Institute for Artificial Intelligence (AI-4AI), said the partnership is a strategic investment in Africa’s digital future.

Abbas, an expert in addressing gaps in emerging technology access, observed that product decisions can either close or widen opportunity gaps, especially in data-driven systems.

A 2023 UNESCO report found that less than one percent of the world’s AI talent is based on the continent, even as Africa’s youth population is expected to double by 2050.

That disconnect, according to Abbas, has real consequences, not just for economic development, but for the shaping of policy, systems, and norms in the AI era.

“Africa does not have a talent deficit,” Abbas said. “It has a scaffolding deficit. When you give people the tools, the networks, and the trust to lead, they do. We’ve seen it again and again.

“We’re not just training people to use AI tools. We’re teaching them to build, question, and govern these systems. Because inclusion without capability is performative. Real equity demands readiness.”

Speaking on the partnership, Abbas who also leads secure-by-design and AI product development at the African Institute for Artificial Intelligence (AI-4AI) said learners will receive access to premium DataCamp courses in AI ethics, data analysis, Python programming, and predictive modeling, alongside mentorship from TechNovelle’s pan-African community of AI and cybersecurity professionals.

According to her, the platform will provide multiple opportunities where one local talent is equipped not just to use emerging technologies, but to shape and govern them from the ground up.

She said her organisation is mapping out a continent-wide rollout that includes micro-scholarships, portfolio-based certification, and community AI labs where learners can document the questions they’re asking, not just the code they’re writing.

Abbas said, “We cannot build secure and trustworthy AI systems without investing in the people who will design and maintain them. At TechNovelle, we’ve always believed that access to high-quality, context-aware education is the first layer of cybersecurity and the foundation of responsible innovation.

“The world is watching Africa’s tech scene grow, but if we want that growth to be sustainable, we need to invest in the builders. That’s what this partnership is about: giving people the tools, training, and mindset to lead not just locally, but globally.”