Developing The Future Workforce

Africa has the world's youngest population but youth unemployment has reached alarming levels. With technology changing rapidly, where does hope lie in addressing the mismatch between skillsets and job market requirements on the continent?

-  Nandini Gupta

David Sokefun co-founded Codar Tech Africa in Lagos, Nigeria, in December 2021 realizing that tech training was inadequate in Africa’s biggest economy. With the swiftly-changing job market because of advancements in generative AI, he knew the importance and urgency of teaching tech skills that would set people apart in an AI-influenced landscape.

“An adage rings true – in the 21st century, illiteracy pertains to those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn,” Sokefun says to FORBES AFRICA. “History attests to the fate of companies that failed to adapt during the internet era, as well as those that successfully navigated the shift.”

Sokefun’s will to build a company that learns to work with AI is perfectly timed. Open AI’s ChatGPT has redefined the boundaries of what artificial intelligence (AI) can do. Whether it’s writing a complex code or a poem, generating a travel itinerary for the summer holidays, or learning a new language, the chatbot doesn’t hesitate to help you within seconds. Unsurprisingly, it attracted over one million users within five days of its launch, and OpenAI is currently valued at about $29 billion.

The staggering progress of ChatGPT has led many to fear for their jobs. Geoffrey Hinton, the godfather of AI, resigned from Google, citing concerns over the likelihood of AI to upend the job market. In an open letter, many technology leaders and researchers, including Elon Musk, urged AI labs to pause the development of the most advanced systems, stating, “Advanced AI could represent a profound change in the history of life on Earth, and should be planned for and managed with commensurate care and resources.”