Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, [June 10] – Safaricom, in partnership with Gebeya Inc., and supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), today announced the launch of the Safaricom Talent Cloud– a first-of-its-kind platform designed to empower the next generation of tech professionals, entrepreneurs, and digital leaders across the whole country of Ethiopia. This innovative platform aims to address the tech talent shortages in the country hindering IT industry development by providing comprehensive capacity-building opportunities and career development pathways to 10,000 Ethiopian talents by the end of 2024.
"The Safaricom Talent Cloud represents Safaricom’s Mission of “Transforming Ethiopian Lives for a Digital Future " said Masahiro Miyashita, Chief Strategy Officer of Safaricom Ethiopia. "By democratizing access to the capabilities of the future, we are laying the foundation for a new generation of innovators who will propel this country’s socio-economic and digital transformation. We are building a community of skilled professionals ready to lead industries across the country, from telecom to financing to beyond."
At its core, the Safaricom Talent Cloud is an end-to-end talent development engine providing guided mastery of in-demand skills, career pathways, and connectivity to opportunities with Safaricom's expansive network of partners. safaricom.gebeya.com offers a comprehensive suite of offerings leveraging the expertise of Gebeya, renowned for their experience with bringing Talent Cloud solutions to life, cultivating top-tier tech talent through their AI-powered and configurable SaaS platform tailored to organizations’ unique needs, and building ecosystems for several of the world’s foremost technology giants and Fortune 500s.
This is not the first time that Safaricom, Gebeya, and JICA have collaborated. In April 2024, the partners graduated 50 selected talents from their co-created “Safaricom Academy,” a six-month intensive software development training program that covered Mobile, Back-end and DevOps engineering specializations as well as Junior back-end development.
“The Safaricom Talent Cloud is about future-proofing Ethiopia’s next generation. We’re arming them with skills in AI, data science, cybersecurity – the cutting-edge tech that will define what's coming. Gebeya’s first training program with Safaricom that kicked off last year was met with such high demand receiving thousands of applicants, that it only made sense that we made it even more available to the masses," said Amadou Daffe, Co-Founder and CEO of Gebeya.
“Stepping into the ‘Age of the Talent Cloud’, as we at Gebeya like to call it, we’re not just nurturing talent anymore. The goal is to spark an opportunity mindset shift. We're minting a new breed of innovators and problem solvers who will grab these powerful technologies and run with them to unleash human potential and drive real progress across the continent. Talents part of the Safaricom Talent Cloud will be at the forefront, shaping solutions for Ethiopia’s unique challenges while playing a hand in creating the strongest digital economy that this country has ever seen before.”
On this new platform, Gebeya will be developing 38 expert-developed courses covering five key domains highlighting Software Development, Infrastructure, AI & Data, Security, and Project Management, among others. Additionally, in 2024 Gebeya signed an exciting partnership with Pluralsight, a global industry leader in online tech education. The vast library of thousands of courses across Pluralsight's immersive skills platform will be made available to all members of the Safaricom Talent Cloud. Curated learning paths from the latest programming languages will be offered to cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity practices, and AI/ML – talents will enjoy unlimited access to master any technological discipline through Pluralsight's renowned multimedia learning experience.
Joining the Talent Cloud also brings the advantage of engaging in group coaching sessions led by certified industry experts, enjoying exclusive benefits from Safaricom, and the opportunity to compete for a spot in specialized bootcamps aimed at rapidly elevating skills and professional acumen. In addition, Talent Cloud members receive additional perks from Safaricom, such as 6GB of data monthly, facilitating cost-effective learning by minimizing internet expenses on the platform. A key enabler is the platform's accessible annual $99 subscription fee, payable in Ethiopian Birr, to lighten economic barriers.
Efforts are being made by all partners to ensure that the Safaricom Talent Cloud’s ambitions to drive digital skills development is as inclusive as possible across Ethiopia. Expanding its reach across Ethiopia's vibrant academic ecosystem, the initiative has already forged strategic partnerships with leading universities throughout the country's regional states.
In addition, the Japan International Cooperation Agency has committed significant funding to subsidize enrollment costs to marginalized groups in the country, targeting their investment to make the program more equitable.
"JICA believes that investing in human capital development is essential for catalyzing Ethiopia's digital transformation journey," saidKensuke Oshima , JICA Ethiopia's Chief Representative. "The Safaricom Talent Cloud equips Ethiopian brilliance with the tools to spearhead solutions for local challenges while actively shaping the Fourth Industrial Revolution from Addis. We are proud to support in laying the groundwork for a more skilled workforce and a stronger economy."
The Talent Cloud opens for registration today, offering a gateway to digital empowerment for a generation of Ethiopians. For more information about the Safaricom Talent Cloud, please visit safaricom.gebeya.com
About Safaricom
Safaricom is a purpose-led technology company providing a wide range of services and solutions, including mobile voice, messaging, high speed internet, financial (by the brand name “M-PESA”) and converged services, and digital services that enable commercial and personal platforms and ecosystem partnerships. Committed to contributing to Ethiopia’s digital transformation and inclusion objectives, Safaricom continues introducing initiatives addressing societal challenges while promoting innovation.
About Gebeya
Gebeya is a leading Pan-African tech leadership company that specializes in SaaS-enabled custom talent cloud innovation. With its revolutionary Talent Cloud solutions, Gebeya is creating millions of opportunities and billions in revenue, skyrocketing Africa’s potential and global competitiveness.
About JICA
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) supports economic and social growth in developing countries and promotes international cooperation by providing aid and resources.
For Media Inquiries
Monalisa Haile
Marketing Director, Gebeya Inc.
monalisa.haile@gebeya.com
