• Benin’s École des Métiers du Numérique (EMN) will award 280 full scholarships under the OIF-backed D-CLIC program for digital and telecom skills.
• The government’s LEARN program, launched in 2021 with EPITECH, aims to train youth across the country for six months followed by internships.
• The GSMA projects 82,000 new agricultural jobs by 2028 through digital transformation, adding 350 million USD in value.

Benin is scaling up youth training in digital professions through a new partnership between the École des Métiers du Numérique (EMN) and the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), as the country deepens its strategy to harness digital transformation for economic growth.

The EMN launched a call for applications on Oct. 14 under the OIF’s D-CLIC project, open until Oct. 27 for candidates aged 18 to 35. The initiative aims to boost employability by equipping participants with technical and professional skills in key digital sectors.

#Gouvbenin | #Wasexo | #FormationProfessionnelle | #BeninNumerique |

? Appel à candidatures aux formations aux métiers du numérique dans le cadre du projet « D-CLIC, formez-vous au numérique avec l’OIF »

L’École des Métiers du Numérique (EMN) opérateur de mise en œuvre du… pic.twitter.com/aYXWIViIKZ

— Gouvernement du Bénin ?? (@gouvbenin) October 18, 2025

The program will offer 280 full scholarships in four fields: telecom technician (fiber optics), maintenance of electronic equipment, digital marketing, and mobile web development.

“This initiative enables young people passionate about digital technology to acquire technical and professional skills in key areas, supporting their socio-professional integration and autonomy,” EMN said in a statement.

The project aligns with Benin’s ambition to make digital transformation a driver of socioeconomic development, a goal requiring skilled labor in both public and private sectors. Across sub-Saharan Africa, the World Bank estimates 230 million jobs will demand digital skills by 2030.

The initiative complements the government’s LEARN (Learning Leverage for Digital Retraining) program, launched in June 2021 with EPITECH. The LEARN program trains young Beninese aged 18–35 through an intensive six-month course, followed by a four- to six-month internship. Each year, it focuses on a specific digital profession.

Former Digital Economy Minister Aurélie Adam Soulé Zoumarou said the program was introduced after local startups and large companies complained about a shortage of operationally ready talent in the technology sector.

Private operators are also joining the effort. Telecom provider MTN Benin launched the “Tita Digital Skills” initiative to train young people for free in digital skills to improve employability and professional integration.

The GSMA projects that digital transformation in Benin’s agriculture sector will create 82,000 additional jobs by 2028, adding CFA197 billion ($350.36 million) in value and CFA33 billion in tax revenue. The process includes adopting precision agriculture technologies.

It also expects 77,000 jobs in manufacturing, 27,000 in transport, and 18,000 in commerce, generating a total of CFA247 billion in added value across these three sectors by 2028.

According to DataReportal, Benin had 14.6 million inhabitants at the start of 2025, with 27.6% aged 18 to 34. The median age is 18, underscoring the youthfulness of the population.

An Afrobarometer survey published in April 2025 found that 47% of Beninese youth (aged 18–35) have completed secondary or post-secondary education. However, 29% are unemployed and job-seeking, while only 7% hold full-time or part-time jobs.

“Moreover, 65% of respondents said they were neither employed nor seeking work, including 5% who identified as students,” the report stated, suggesting that many young Beninese remain outside the formal labor market due to continued studies, lack of opportunities, or other barriers.

By expanding access to technical training and partnerships with international organizations, Benin hopes to bridge this gap and position its youth at the center of its growing digital economy.

This article was initially published in French by Isaac K. Kassouwi

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum