The demand for technology skills is rising rapidly across Africa, marking a significant departure from previous years. In a recent survey, every organization reported an increased need for tech talent over the past 12 months.
This is a stark contrast to earlier data, where 7% of companies indicated no change in their tech skill requirements, highlighting just how universal and urgent this shift has become.
Half of the respondents across regions described the increase as “significant,” while the remaining half reported a moderate rise in demand. The trend is particularly pronounced in South Africa, where 63% of organizations cited a significant spike. Kenya and Nigeria followed, with 43% and 40% of firms, respectively, noting a substantial increase in tech skill requirements.
While AI development and generative AI capabilities are in high demand, cybersecurity has emerged as the single most sought-after tech skill across the continent.
A striking 86% of organizations identified cybersecurity expertise as critical, followed closely by AI development (85%) and generative AI skills (83%), marking a sharp rise from the 2022/2023 survey, where only 63% prioritized cybersecurity.
The growing focus on cybersecurity reflects the rapid expansion of Africa’s digital economy and the increasing number of citizens being connected through public and private sector initiatives.
However, despite the surging demand, only 14% of organizations globally feel confident in their current cybersecurity capabilities, underscoring a pressing skills gap that needs urgent attention.
