Higher Education Minister Advocates Digital Investment Fund for Africa

Sierra Leone’s Deputy Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Sarjoh Aziz-Kamara, has called for the establishment of an African Digital Investment Fund to accelerate the continent’s transition toward inclusive, technology-driven education systems.

He made the proposal while representing Sierra Leone at the 18th Ministerial Round Table on Digital Education, Training and Skills Development and the 19th eLearning Africa Conference, held in Accra, Ghana, from June 3–5, 2026.

The high-level gathering, co-hosted by eLearning Africa and the Government of Ghana, brought together more than 2,500 participants from 82 countries, including education ministers, university leaders, policymakers, researchers, and technology innovators. Discussions centered on strengthening Africa’s education systems through digital transformation under the theme: “Africa’s Time, Africa’s Terms: Learning for Sovereignty, Strength and Solidarity.”

The conference served as a continental policy platform for advancing strategies to improve digital learning infrastructure, skills development, and education financing across Africa.

Sierra Leone’s participation was highlighted as part of growing international recognition of the country’s education reforms, particularly the Free Quality School Education programme and ongoing digital transformation initiatives within technical, vocational, and higher education institutions. The country’s education agenda, led by President Dr. Julius Maada Bio, has also gained global attention following his recognition as a Global Partnership for Education (GPE) Champion for Sustainable Education Financing.

Delivering a keynote address during a session on “Infrastructure and Finance for Digital Learning and Skills Development,” Deputy Minister Aziz-Kamara outlined Sierra Leone’s progress in integrating digital tools across universities and TVET institutions.

He emphasized that digital transformation should be viewed not merely as technological adoption, but as a strategic pathway toward digital sovereignty, equitable access to education, and national resilience. He further stressed the need to align Africa’s education systems with emerging labour market demands, particularly in artificial intelligence, STEM disciplines, and digital services.

Aziz-Kamara also called for the establishment of dedicated continental and national digital investment funds to support infrastructure development, digital learning platforms, educational content production, and continuous training for educators and administrators. He noted that such financing mechanisms are critical to bridging the digital divide and improving youth employability across the continent.

Ghana’s Minister of Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, also addressed the conference, urging stronger intra-African collaboration in building resilient and future-ready education systems. He called on African countries to align national strategies with continental frameworks such as Agenda 2063 and the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA 2034).

International education experts also contributed to the discussions, including former UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, Stefania Giannini, who underscored the importance of innovation-driven learning systems and global partnerships.

A key highlight of the conference was the closing plenary debate, which focused on the urgent need to modernize African education systems in line with labour market realities. Participants emphasized that future reforms must prioritize digital literacy, skills development, and artificial intelligence readiness to improve youth employment outcomes.

As the conference concluded in Accra, delegates reached a broad consensus that Africa’s education transformation will depend not only on policy ambition, but also on sustained investment, regional cooperation, and strong financial commitments to digital learning infrastructure.