• Niger, Algeria plan cooperation on digital skills, ICT training

• Talks include skill centers, train-the-trainer programs for capacity building

• Initiative aims to boost youth employment, support digital transformation

Niger plans to strengthen bilateral cooperation with Algeria in several areas of the digital sector, with a focus on skills development to build local capacity and support its digital transformation.

The initiative was discussed this week during a meeting between Sid Ali Zerrouki and his Nigerien counterpart, Adji Ali Salatou, at the second session of the Algerian-Nigerien Joint Commission on Cooperation in Niamey. The Algerian delegation was led by Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb.

Both sides are considering collaboration on the creation and development of digital skills centers, referred to as “Skill Centers”. They also discussed launching train-the-trainer programs in ICT to support knowledge transfer and strengthen local capacity.

For Niger, the initiative aligns with the digital transformation strategy adopted by the government, which aims to accelerate ICT development and leverage it for socioeconomic progress. Digital skills development and innovation is one of the three pillars of the National Policy for Digital Development 2026–2035, currently under development.

Although Niger is no longer a member of ECOWAS, the organization says the country is implementing several ICT training programs to strengthen digital skills. However, access to quality training remains a major challenge, particularly outside major urban centers. These programs are often supported by international partners and NGOs.

Algeria’s Human Capital Push

Algeria has also made human capital development a cornerstone of its digital transformation strategy. The government plans to train 500,000 ICT specialists while reducing brain drain by 40 percent. Skill Centers are being deployed to train young people in key areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud computing and the Internet of Things, to prepare them for future jobs and facilitate their integration into the digital economy, both nationally and internationally.

If implemented, the cooperation could support youth employment. The World Bank estimates that 230 million jobs in sub-Saharan Africa will require digital skills by 2030.

Youth employment remains a pressing concern in Niger, and the authorities have made it a priority. According to the National Statistics Institute, 25.5 percent of economically active Nigeriens aged 15 to 35 were unemployed, defined as jobless but available for work, in the second quarter of 2025. The employment rate in that age group stood at 34.5 percent, with jobs largely concentrated in informal and vulnerable sectors. In total, 55.4 percent of young people were either unemployed, underemployed or in insecure employment. Additionally, 37.4 percent were neither in employment, education nor training (NEET).

Isaac K. Kassouwi