Across Africa, organizations are experiencing a universal and increasing demand for tech skills, a notable shift from previous years. All organizations surveyed in a recent report indicated an increased need for tech skills over the past twelve months. This contrasts with a previous survey where 7 of companies reported no change in their tech skill requirements.
The report highlights that 50 of companies across regions noted a significant increase in demand for tech skills. An additional half of all respondents observed that the need for tech skills has somewhat increased. This demand is particularly acute in South Africa, where 63 of organizations reported a significant increase. Kenya and Nigeria also show strong demand, with 43 and 40 of organizations, respectively, noting a significant increase in their need for tech skills.
While AI developer and Generative AI-related skills are highly valued, cybersecurity has emerged as the most in-demand tech skill on the continent today. Eighty-six percent of organizations emphasized the importance of cybersecurity skills, closely followed by AI developer skills at 85 and Generative AI at 83. This marks a significant jump from the 2022/2023 survey, where only 63 of organizations prioritized cybersecurity skills. The growing emphasis on cybersecurity can be attributed to the rapid expansion of Africas digital economy and the millions of citizens being integrated into the digital sphere through various public and private sector initiatives. Despite this surge in demand, only 14 of organizations globally are confident in their current cybersecurity skill sets.
