• Egypt signs digital skills partnerships with 30 tech firms under Digilians initiative
• State-funded program trains youth for ICT, data and digital economy jobs
• Government aims to strengthen Egypt’s position in global knowledge economy

Egypt is accelerating the development of its digital skills sector through a series of new public-private partnerships. On Jan. 11, Communications and Information Technology Minister Amr Talaat and Ashraf Salem Zaher, director of the Egyptian Military Academy, attended the signing of several memorandums of understanding between the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and 30 local and international companies.

The agreements support a presidential initiative, Digilians, which aims to expand Egypt’s pool of technological talent. Fully funded by the state, the program is designed to train professionals who are ready to enter an economy increasingly driven by data and digital services.

The initiative is intended to respond to rising global demand for information and communications technology (ICT) professionals in an increasingly borderless market. Speaking at the event, Talaat relayed a message from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi underscoring the government’s commitment to training a new generation of highly qualified professionals to strengthen the sector and reinforce Egypt’s position in the knowledge economy.

Talaat said Digilians is part of a broader state strategy aimed at keeping pace with rapid digital transformation and the accelerated adoption of technology across sectors, from industrial development to public services.

MCIT and Military Academy lead implementation

Digilians is implemented jointly by the MCIT and the Egyptian Military Academy. The program targets young people aged 18 to 32 from all governorates and offers advanced training supported by major technology companies, soft-skills and language training organizations, and international universities.

It is structured around four tracks tailored to different experience levels and specializations: a four-month intensive diploma, a nine-month specialized diploma, a 12-month professional master’s degree, and a 24-month Master of Science.

The curriculum covers a broad range of digital fields, including software development, artificial intelligence, data science, networking, technological infrastructure, cybersecurity, embedded systems, electronic systems, and digital arts. The program is designed to align with labour-market needs and evolving digital uses, while offering entry points for participants from diverse academic backgrounds. Talaat said the sector is now open to graduates from all disciplines, provided they acquire the practical skills and experience sought by employers.

Industrial partners range from cloud to cybersecurity

The memorandums were signed by Raafat Hindy, deputy minister for infrastructure and digital transformation, and representatives of the 30 partner companies. Partners include Google, Microsoft, IBM Egypt, Huawei Egypt and Vodafone Egypt, as well as cybersecurity and cloud specialists such as Fortinet, Palo Alto Networks and Cloudflare. Local and regional firms including Fawry, Al Ahly Momkn and several Egyptian technology companies are also involved.

Under the agreements, partners will provide training materials and certification exam vouchers for emerging technologies, assess graduation projects, propose market-oriented project ideas, monitor project implementation and offer technical support. The program also places strong emphasis on internships and work-based learning, which officials described as critical to improving graduate employability.

Job forums, hackathons and innovation

Beyond technical training, Digilians includes soft skills, language training and continuous learning components, which officials say are essential in a fast-evolving sector. Partner companies have also committed to participating in MCIT-organized employment forums, delivering specialized workshops and helping connect graduates with business networks to facilitate access to jobs and further training.

The agreements also provide for annual competitions, including hackathons, project juries and mentoring initiatives with incentives aimed at fostering creativity and innovation.

Zaher reaffirmed the armed forces’ commitment to providing the resources needed to train young people through Digilians and other programs run by the Military Academy, in line with presidential directives.

Through this coordinated effort, Egypt is seeking to position large-scale training and public-private cooperation as key drivers of its “Digital Egypt” strategy, with the aim of building a more competitive, inclusive and sustainable digital economy.

Muriel EDJO