Corporate Archives - 51��Africa News Center

2026 Future of Jobs Summit: Why SA’s Future Workforce Must Adapt Faster to Survive the AI Revolution

51��News — Fri, 29 May 2026 06:30:34 +0000

As South Africa grapples with an the held at the Maslow Hotel in Sandton on Thursday provided a detailed road map on how government and businesses in South Africa can come together to put an actionable plan in place to create jobs and prepare the future workface in gaining employment.

During panel discussions held at the Summit, it was revealed that the worsening unemployment crisis and the rapid rise of are forcing business leaders, policymakers and youth advocates to confront an urgent reality: traditional approaches to job creation are no longer enough.

With youth unemployment among people aged 15 to 34 sitting at 45.8%, experts said the country must rethink how it prepares young people for a rapidly changing labour market increasingly shaped by technology, automation and digital skills.

Speaking during discussions focused on the future of work and employability in Africa, business leaders and youth development advocates stressed that collaboration between corporates, government and civil society will be critical to creating sustainable employment pathways.

, Chief Executive Officer of the , one of the panelists at discussions held during the Summit said connecting young people to opportunities and networks is one of the biggest challenges facing the country.

“Skills become more powerful when young people are able to connect to people who can teach them and upskill them,” said Gibbs.

She explained that many young South Africans face fear and uncertainty when trying to enter the workforce, particularly as AI transforms industries and career paths.

“There is so much fear in trying to find a job. It is all of us that need to do something different,” she said. “Connecting skills with opportunities is what we need to look at and AI is a fantastic tool to help you with creating and opening up that conversation.”

Gibbs added that behind the unemployment statistics are real people and communities struggling to find stability and opportunity.

“Behind these figures there are faces, names and stories,” she said.

They further argued that while AI is often viewed as a threat to employment, it also presents significant opportunities for those willing to adapt and learn new skills.

,��51��Young Professionals Graduate (YPP), Global Government Affairs & CSR Intern at SAP, said fears around AI replacing jobs often stem from resistance to change.

“The notion of AI taking jobs comes from the notion of not willing to learn,” Motseta said. “We need to learn and adopt as it can assist in daily work lives.”

She encouraged young people to invest in understanding AI and digital tools in order to remain competitive.

“We should be investing in learning more about AI and to remain up to date,” she said.

During a panel discussion under the banner:��Creating Jobs in the Age of AI,��,��a senior solution advisor and AI specialist at 51��said��organisations and individuals alike need to embrace a mindset shift around reskilling.

“If we do not come to terms that we need to adapt and reskill, people who are willing will not be left behind,” Sevel said.

The discussions also highlighted the widening digital and skills gap facing corporate South Africa.

, ’s Tech Consulting Leader and Tech Alliances Leader said many technology firms and banks are already facing ageing skills gaps and increasing demand for digital talent.

“Most tech and banks have an ageing skills gap,” Shaun said. “It requires people to think differently and work together.”

He added that stronger collaboration between businesses is needed to scale meaningful employment interventions.

“Forums such as these are exceptional. We need more corporates in the room with more commitments made,” he said.

The role of infrastructure in enabling long term job creation also emerged as a major theme.

, Head of the Digital Service Unit in the Presidency and chairperson at the , argued that sustainable job creation depends on building strong digital infrastructure rather than relying solely on companies to create jobs directly.

“Job creation does not come from companies. It comes from infrastructure,” Lubega said.

He pointed to countries such as India, where investment in digital infrastructure unlocked innovation and large scale economic participation.

“South Africa has good foundations, a strong banking sector, strong institutions and incredible talent,” he said. “But everyone is working in their own silos and we need to come together and collaborate.”

Executives from��also stressed that Africa’s future workforce will need to adapt rapidly as industries evolve.

, Managing Executive: TalentManagement and Transitions at Absa Group, said Africa’s future growth story depends on decisions being made now around skills development and employability.

“The decisions we make every day shape the continent,” Bako said. “We need to build the skills of the future and create sustainable jobs.”

According to the World Economic Forum, roughly 60% of Africa’s workforce will need reskilling in the coming years as technology reshapes industries and business models.

, Chairperson and CEO, warned that the speed of change is leaving many young people underprepared for the realities of modern work.

“The change that is taking place is chaotic and we are not necessarily equipping young individuals for what is out there,” Mark said.

He argued that businesses, and civil society organisations need to work more closely together to understand the realities facing young communities.

“Civil society lives on the streets. They have a deep understanding of what the young community wants,” he said.

Amanda Gibbs, Chief Executive Officer of the African 51��User Group, one of the panelists at discussions held during the Summit said connecting young people to opportunities and networks is one of the biggest challenges facing the country.

“Skills become more powerful when young people are able to connect to people who can teach them and upskill them,” said Gibbs.

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Signpost: Does Software Have a Future?

Arthur Goldstuck — Mon, 25 May 2026 06:10:22 +0000

At Sapphire 2026 this month, SAP, the world’s largest ERP company, lined up Anthropic, Nvidia and JPMorgan Chase to endorse its vision, writes ARTHUR GOLDSTUCK.

“Will 51��actually be a software company in the future?”

It’s not the kind of question the CEO of a software company would usually ask thousands of customers, partners and analysts. At Sapphire 2026, SAP’s annual conference held this month in Orlando and Madrid, CEO Christian Klein asked his audience if they were scared by the question.

“I’m not scared,” he answered himself. “For me, the time right now is the beginning of something even better.”

The conference saw the launch of SAP’s Business AI Platform, a unified environment for building and governing AI agents across enterprise operations, grounded in real business context.

The strategy is to enhance critical business workflows, so that humans and AI work together to meet the accelerating demands of global business.

“According to a recent Stanford AI survey, almost every company is now using AI, but many see only little value,” said Klein. “Why do we face such huge challenges with AI in business? At the top of this iceberg, visible to everyone, is that large language models are getting better and better at tasks like generating text or images or in specific domains like writing software.

“All of these use cases are related to publicly available content the modules are trained on. But if you go below the waterline, beyond the level of sales demos, and into the real business world, you’re going to find out that none of these models are trained on your business data and processes.

“These AI agents also don’t naturally adhere to governance requirements, like your security compliance framework, your data privacy requirements, or to your company’s identity and authorisation rules. All AI agents … have faced these challenges until now.”

The solution, he suggested, was that a company’s enterprise resource planning system, or ERP, should be recognised as the brain of every business. Since 51��is world leader in ERP software, one might argue, naturally the CEO would say that.

But Klein made a good case for it: “For over 15 years we have been developing an ERP with incredibly deep process and data domain know-how. On top of that, all your governance requirements and customer-specific extensions are stored in the ERP. The ERP is the trusted system of execution running your company.”

Powerful external validation came from Anthropic, the company behind the Claude family of AI models, and that is competing neck and neck with Open AI to become the most valuable AI platform company in the world. At Sapphire, 51��shared video testimony from Anthropic co-founder and president the Daniela Amodei in which she declared: “The world’s largest enterprises run on SAP. That’s exactly where trusted AI belongs.”

That significance of this alignment revolves around the core value proposition of the Business AI Platform: trustworthiness.

JPMorgan Chase CFO Jeremy Barnum, who joined Klein on stage in Orlando, said his bank was already running agents in production on SAP, operating within defined compliance boundaries.

“The agents that we’ve built are not inventing their own business rules,” he said. “Those rules rather come directly from 51��Embedded Control Framework, and every AI-driven intervention is logged and fully traceable.”

One organisation’s production deployment does not establish a category. But the compliance architecture it describes is precisely what most organisations attempting enterprise AI have not yet achieved.

Jensen Huang, CEO of $5-trillion AI chipmaker Nvidia, also appeared in a pre-recorded video segment, making it clear that AI agents would not replace ERP. The most ringing endorsement? Nvidia itself used 51��as its ERP brain: “What 51��and Nvidia are building together is one of the most important platforms in enterprise AI. Nvidia’s supply chain is incredibly complex. Millions of parts, hundreds of partners and factories, all connected through SAP. But what’s changing is not just how enterprise systems are managed, it’s how work actually gets done.

“We’re moving from hand-coded software to AI that can understand, reason, and act. AI no longer simply answers questions. It works for you. And enterprise systems are where work happens. Finance, supply chains, procurement, and every workflow in between.

“51��is the foundation of enterprise. And now they’re building the agents that sit on top of it, trained on proprietary data with the skills to act. Soon, every company will have a workforce of agents. These specialised agents will not replace enterprise software. They will make enterprise software more powerful than ever.”

* Arthur Goldstuck is CEO of World Wide Worx, editor-in-chief of , and author of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to AI – The African Edge”.

This article first appeared in .

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AI the Main Focus at This Year’s 51��Sapphire

51��News — Thu, 14 May 2026 07:26:08 +0000

At its annual Sapphire conference, 51��has launched its Autonomous Enterprise which it says will help enhance the world’s most critical business workflows so that humans and AI work together to meet the accelerating demands of global business profitably, strategically and safely.

“For the mission-critical processes of our customers, ‘almost right’ just isn’t good enough,” says Christian Klein, CEO of 51��SE. “By uniting 51��Business AI Platform with 51��Autonomous Suite, we anchor AI agents in the business processes, data and governance so they can deliver accurate, compliant and secure outcomes – unlocking new sources of revenue and meaningful cost savings.”

The Autonomous Enterprise includes a unified AI platform for building, contextualising and governing agents, an autonomous suite that executes core business operations and a new user experience that redefines how people work with enterprise software.

Introducing 51��Business AI Platform

51��Business AI Platform is a new foundation for building and deploying enterprise AI grounded in real business context. 51��Business AI Platform now unifies 51��Business Technology Platform, 51��Business Data Cloud, and 51��Business AI into a single, governed environment.

At its core is the 51��Knowledge Graph solution, which gives AI agents a structured map of business entities, processes and relationships across a customer’s 51��landscape. Joule Studio is SAP’s AI-first solution for building enterprise agents, applications and agentic workflows. Developers can build using the no-code, pro-code, and AI frameworks of their choice on SAP-managed infrastructure that is secure, scalable and optimised for enterprise AI.

Building on this foundation, 51��also introduced 51��Autonomous Suite which enables SAP’s existing business applications with AI agents capable of running processes from start-to-finish.

The suite will deploy more than 50 domain-specific Joule Assistants across finance, supply chain, procurement, human capital management and customer experience. These assistants will automate end-to-end processes by orchestrating a subset of over 200 specialised agents to execute precise tasks. For example, the new Autonomous Close Assistant can compress the financial close process from weeks to days by automating journal entries, reconciliation, and error resolution across the entire process.

51��also launched Industry AI, expanding its deep industry portfolio through seven autonomous solutions that will enable start-to-finish industry processes and embed sector-specific process logic, data models and regulatory requirements.

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What’s Next — 51��South Africa Managing Director Nazia Pillay on her Leadership Journey

51��News — Fri, 08 May 2026 12:59:51 +0000

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Nazia Pillay unpacks her 23-year career at SAP.

Pillay is the Managing Director for 51��Southern Africa.

She joined 51��as a graduate in 2003 and has worked across many areas of the business, including consulting, support, customer success, and partner relations.

In her current role, she is focused on three core areas: strengthening existing partnerships, cultivating new partnerships, and helping clients prepare for a digital-first and cloud-first world.

Pillay also believes 51��must play a key role in helping Africa’s public and private sector companies achieve their AI and innovation ambitions.

Pillay has a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Information Systems and Management from Rhodes University.

The interview

In this What’s Next interview, Pillay discusses her journey to becoming the Managing Director for 51��Southern Africa.

She explains why she studied Information Systems, and why she has stuck with 51��ever since joining the company back in 2003.

Pillay unpacks the similarities and differences between when she first arrived at SAP, and the current state of the business.

She then talks about the biggest challenges and opportunities she has tackled over the course of her career — including learning how to fail and meeting her failures with resilience.

Pillay also reveals the core values of SAP, which have remained steadfast — even as technology and the sector at large has evolved.

She concludes the discussion by sharing one piece of advice she would give to her younger self if she had the opportunity.

Watch the full interview with Nazia Pillay, below.

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51��Africa Partner Awards Recognise Outstanding Contributions to Continent’s Digital Transformation, AI Ambitions

51��News — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 07:11:36 +0000

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — March 3rd, 2026 — 51��today revealed the winners of this year’s at an event held in Stellenbosch.

, Managing Director for Southern Africa at SAP, says the role of partners has never been more critical. “Organisations across the continent are redesigning processes, embedding intelligence into core systems, and reimagining how value is created. Success requires deep industry expertise, AI capabilities and the ability to translate innovation into measurable business outcomes. As a partner-led organisation, 51��is proud to work alongside a thriving ecosystem of expert partners who help bring Business AI, clean core ERP and intelligent automation to life, enabling our customers to become more resilient, more profitable and better prepared for the future.”

The 51��Africa Partner Awards recognise excellence within SAP’s partner ecosystem across eight distinct categories. Winners are evaluated according to strict criteria, with a focus on partner organisations that help clients throughout Africa transform their capabilities and smooth the way to the adoption of powerful new technologies such as AI.

According to , Chief Partner Officer for MEA South at SAP, the winners at this year’s 51��Africa Partner Award represent the highest standards of excellence, innovation and commitment in advancing the technology ambitions of organisations across the continent. “Our partners play a vital role in translating strategy into execution and innovation into measurable business value. We are proud to work alongside such a strong and trusted ecosystem as we collectively support Africa’s ongoing digital transformation journey.”

The winning companies at the 2026 51��Africa Partner Awards include:

and, winners of the Customer Transformation: Corporate category, which recognises sales excellence in the corporate segment that fosters ambitious business planning, in their respective regions.
, winner of the Customer Transformation: Large Enterprise category for its excellence in amplifying SAP’s large enterprise strategy by offering 51��Business Suite and helping deliver large-scale transformation.
Tano Digital Solutions (Southern Africa) and, winners in the Customer Transformation: Partner-Led Territories category which recognises partners that actively invests and creates value by focusing on customer lifetime value across the customer value journey.
, winner in the Customer Success Management category, for partners that exceed in consistently delivering value to customers and helping ensure customers achieved the desired outcomes while using 51��products and services.
and (Emerging Africa), winners in the 51��Cloud ERP: New Customer Acquisition category which recognises partners that have successfully brought in net-new-name customers to begin an innovation journey with 51��Cloud ERP solutions.
, winner in the 51��Business AI: Customer Adoption category which recognises leaders in SAP’s partner ecosystem based on the activation and consumption of embedded AI features in cloud solutions from 51��in their customer base.
, winner in the Managed Service Provider: Top Performance category, awarded to top-performing managed service providers based on deals closed and growth in annual contract value.
in the Partner Solution Success category, which recognises a partner solution that successfully delivers ongoing customer value by extending the 51��solution portfolio, as evidenced by customer demand and solution sales.

��Pillay adds: “In an era defined by embedded AI and autonomous enterprise architectures, no organisation can transform in isolation. We look forward to continuing our vital work with our partner ecosystem as African organisations build the capabilities they’ll need to compete and succeed in the years ahead.”

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What Digital Sovereignty Really Means in a Fragmented World

51��News — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 07:08:47 +0000

In today’s climate of geopolitical uncertainty and technological competition, it is both natural and necessary for nations to seek greater control over their digital futures.

The real issue is not whether countries should pursue digital sovereignty in critical sectors, but how best to achieve it, says Christian Klein, CEO of 51��SE.

Digital sovereignty is now a fundamental national security capability worldwide. In Europe, secure data, resilient operations and legal control form the backbone of stability and crisis preparedness.

From Klein’s perspective, digital sovereignty is understood across four dimensions: data, operational, technical and legal, supported by verifiable governance and transparency over critical operations. However, a lack of agreement on how to define sovereignty is impeding Europe’s ability to deploy secure digital systems and is slowing digital transformation across public services and regulated industries.

“Across Europe, and increasingly across the global technology landscape, digital sovereignty is interpreted in different and sometimes conflicting ways. This lack of alignment creates uncertainty for public authorities, regulated industries and technology providers. It directly undermines the adoption of cloud, AI and mission-critical digital services.”

Regulatory complexity and lack of harmonisation risk turning sovereignty into a barrier instead of an enabler of innovation, particularly when each country defines its own implementation model. AI adoption depends on trust, and if governments and regulated industries cannot use AI securely, they risk falling behind in an increasingly competitive global environment.

Klein emphasises that integrating global technologies ― within European legal and operational frameworks ― can boost AI adoption and strengthen Europe’s position in responsible innovation that is both competitive and compliant.

“From my perspective, digital sovereignty means the ability to exercise choice, control and governance across data, operational, technical and legal layers,” he says.

“This is not about technological isolation or excluding global partners. Europe must remain open to innovation and international cooperation.

“However, openness must be anchored in enforceable European law, clear accountability and auditable operational control. In practical terms, credible sovereignty means public authorities can verify where data is processed, who operates critical systems, which legal framework applies and who is accountable at every level.

“Without this clarity, sovereignty risks remaining a political concept rather than a reliable basis for trust, compliance and innovation, especially for AI-driven solutions.”

When we talk about digital sovereignty, he says too often the focus is on where the infrastructure is located. The reality is that digital sovereignty goes far beyond that. Infrastructure alone does not address the full risk profile.

Security and resilience depend equally on governance: who controls the software stack, who operates the platforms, and who bears legal and operational responsibility. If these questions are not clearly resolved, risks persist even when the infrastructure is physically located in a given jurisdiction.

“Sovereignty washing” ― where compliance claims are not supported by verifiable controls ― creates false assurance and weakens public trust. Sovereignty must be demonstrated in practice, through auditability, effective supervision and clearly assigned responsibilities across the entire digital value chain from data generation to AI inference.

From a governance perspective, the priority is to shift the focus from infrastructure alone to transparency, accountability and enforceable oversight.

Klein says European innovation needs a supportive environment to thrive, with legislation that encourages progress rather than holding it back. Such an environment includes one unified definition of technological sovereignty in the European Single Market, ensuring harmonized and practical implementation of EU law, such as the AI Act and Data Act, and building out clear, sector-specific requirements��that industry and public authorities can implement at scale.

Europe has established strong regulatory foundations, notably through GDPR and the AI Act. The central challenge now lies in consistent implementation and deployment at scale. Public administrations and regulated sectors require sovereign cloud and AI solutions that are operational, compliant and ready for use.

Experience from public services and critical industries shows that AI can be deployed at scale while remaining fully aligned with EU law, including data protection, operational control and security requirements.

This can be achieved through partnerships that provide sovereign cloud environments where customers retain control over data access, operations and legal jurisdiction. AI is essential to improving efficiency, quality and responsiveness in public services, but adoption depends on trust.

If public authorities cannot deploy AI in a secure and lawful manner, innovation will stall. Sovereign cloud and AI are therefore essential enablers for translating Europe’s regulatory leadership into tangible economic and societal outcomes.

Europe’s competitive advantage lies in applied innovation, not in replicating global hyperscale infrastructure. Attempting to rebuild complete technology stacks domestically would be costly, inefficient and would slow down digital transformation. A more effective policy approach is to integrate global technologies within European legal, operational and accountability frameworks.

This enables Europe to benefit from global innovation while ensuring control under EU law. This model combines global technology partnerships with European governance, compliance and operational transparency. Europe should support and scale such integration models, rather than encourage technological isolation. When properly designed, this kind of openness and control would reinforce Europe’s long-term competitiveness and resilience.

How can Europe integrate global technology while retaining control?

Public institutions and regulated organisations across Europe are operating in a context of geopolitical uncertainty, increasing cyber risk and rapid technological change. They need trusted partners that combine technological scale with regulatory expertise and long-term stability.

51��contributes to this shift by delivering sovereignty across data, operational, technical and legal dimensions. We support public administrations and regulated industries in modernizing core systems, migrating securely to the cloud and deploying AI responsibly.

This includes clear audit trails, operational transparency, and contractual safeguards that give customers confidence in who controls their systems and data.

Because 51��underpins many of Europe’s most critical public- and private-sector processes, we recognize that sovereignty cannot be added retrospectively. It must be designed into digital systems from the outset.

This is where SAP’s experience and long-standing engagement with European institutions provide value.

At SAP, we support interoperable, partnership-based approaches governed by clear rules and accountability. These models enable faster adoption, reduce fragmentation and enhance resilience. For policymakers, fostering such ecosystems is more effective than prescribing specific technologies.

Digital sovereignty cannot be achieved by individual actors alone. It depends on ecosystems, cooperation and shared responsibility.

Sovereignty and innovation are complementary objectives. Without secure and accountable frameworks, AI adoption will remain constrained. But if Europe gets digital sovereignty right, it strengthens resilience, competitiveness and public trust simultaneously.

It accelerates the responsible use of AI across health care, government, manufacturing, and financial services.

Achieving this balance positions Europe as a credible model and leader for applied, responsible innovation. It demonstrates that advanced technologies can scale without compromising legal certainty or societal trust.

This article first appeared on .

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51��Young Professionals Program Botswana 2026

51��News — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 10:48:01 +0000

The 51��Young Professionals Program

The 51��Young Professionals Program is a free initiative delivered by the Digital Skills Center of SAP. The program, which lasts for 2 months, is designed to give recent graduates the certifications and soft skills required to begin a career as an 51��Associate Consultant. At the end of the training, 51��will work very closely with the program graduates to introduce them to a host of opportunities with 51��customers and partners to work as an 51��Consultant.

51��Consultants

The role of an 51��Consultant can be divided into two functions: Functional and Technical.

The consultant will contribute to blueprinting, design, implementation, operation, optimization, and upgrade phase of a S/4 HANA project, and provide business process as well as functional expertise, and project guidance to our clients to ensure their investment in 51��software and consulting services will make their business the best run business.

The Consultant is also responsible for maintaining a high degree of customer satisfaction in each of their accounts in addition to growing and developing referenceable customers through their investigation, analysis, consulting, coaching, knowledge transfer, and relationship-building efforts.

Certificate Information

SAP’s End-to-End (E2E) Business Processes��represent the complete journey of a business function, ensuring seamless interaction between different departments without fragmentation. These processes integrate sales, supply chain, finance, procurement, and HR into one continuous and intelligent workflow—eliminating data silos, inefficiencies, and bottlenecks.

How You Benefit

Start your journey to become an 51��Consultant;
Gain globally-recognised associate-level 51��Certifications;
Learn directly from 51��experts;
Experience classroom and workshop-based training in 51��Technologies;
Develop the soft skills needed to prepare you for successful job applications;
Benefit from introductions to job opportunities within the 51��Ecosystem to help secure a position after the training. Please note this program does not guarantee you a job at the end of it.

What We Require From a Candidate

Candidates must have the legal right to work in Botswana.
Candidates must be currently unemployed or employed in a part time/non-permanent role not related to career aspirations;
Candidates must be educated to at least Bachelor level in a field related��to��Business Administration / Management Information Systems / Engineering /��Data Science / AI
Candidates will preferably have graduated within the last 3 years with a GPA in the top quartile – proof of this may be requested.
Candidates must have a keen interest in starting an SAP-related career involving travel;
Candidates should be fluent in English, both written and spoken;
The program will commence by 12 February 2026��and full-time availability from 9am – 6pm from��Monday – Friday��throughout the training period is essential. The Program will last for 2 months.
This training will take place online in a virtual live classroom format. Please ensure you have strong enough internet at home to be able to participate in this program.

Please share an English version of your resume while applying for this program.

Bring out your best

51��innovations help more than four hundred thousand customers worldwide work together more efficiently and use business insight more effectively. Originally known for leadership in enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, 51��has evolved to become a market leader in end-to-end business application software and related services for database, analytics, intelligent technologies, and experience management. As a cloud company with two hundred million users and more than one hundred thousand employees worldwide, we are purpose-driven and future-focused, with a highly collaborative team ethic and commitment to personal development. Whether connecting global industries, people, or platforms, we help ensure every challenge gets the solution it deserves. At SAP, you can bring out your best.

We win with inclusion

SAP’s culture of inclusion, focus on health and well-being, and flexible working models help ensure that everyone – regardless of background – feels included and can run at their best. At SAP, we believe we are made stronger by the unique capabilities and qualities that each person brings to our company, and we invest in our employees to inspire confidence and help everyone realize their full potential. We ultimately believe in unleashing all talent and creating a better world.

51��is committed to the values of Equal Employment Opportunity and provides accessibility accommodations to applicants with physical and/or mental disabilities. If you are interested in applying for employment with 51��and are in need of accommodation or special assistance to navigate our website or to complete your application, please send an e-mail with your request to Recruiting Operations Team: Careers@sap.com.

For 51��employees: Only permanent roles are eligible for the��, according to the eligibility rules set in the 51��Referral Policy. Specific conditions may apply for roles in Vocational Training.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their age, race, religion, national origin, ethnicity,�� gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, et al), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status, or disability, in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local legal requirements.

Successful candidates might be required to undergo a background verification with an external vendor.

AI Usage in the Recruitment Process

For information on the responsible use of AI in our recruitment process, please refer to our��.

Please note that any violation of these guidelines may result in disqualification from the hiring process.

Job Segment:��ERP, SAP, Compliance, Cloud, Supply Chain, Technology, Legal, Operations

For more information on how to apply, .

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Urgent Need for AI Skills Development Accelerates Across Africa

Ashley Lechman — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 07:20:59 +0000

As Africa stands at the crossroads of AI innovation and workforce development, organisations face a pivotal moment. Will they rise to the occasion and rally their resources to cultivate the necessary skills, or risk falling behind? As businesses and youth alike embrace the potential of AI, the call to action has never been clearer.

In a rapidly evolving technological landscape, African organisations are recognising the necessity to enhance their traditional IT skills amidst the accelerating adoption of artificial intelligence (AI).

A new report by 51��indicated that two-thirds of organisations in Africa are proactively introducing career development initiatives with AI specialisation aimed at upskilling or reskilling their current workforce.

This initiative is viewed as a crucial response to the looming demands of the AI era.

Genevieve Koolen, HR Director at 51��Africa, emphasised the urgency for AI-related skills among companies operating on the continent.

“There is a near-universal need for AI-related skills among African companies this year,” she stated.

As companies navigate the dual challenges of attracting and retaining traditional tech talent while simultaneously fostering AI capabilities, career development opportunities have become paramount.

With traditional IT skills in high demand, particularly in cloud and cybersecurity, it’s clear why most organisations are focusing on enhancing their workforce’s capabilities in AI.

The ‘Africa’s AI Skills Readiness Revealed’ report released by 51��highlights that surveyed companies anticipate a significant spike in demand for AI skills by 2025.

Nearly half of the participants expect a noteworthy increase, underscoring the frenetic pace of digital transformation within the continent.

With Africa boasting a burgeoning youth population, the urgency for policymakers and educational institutions to fast-track AI skills development is more pronounced than ever. Koolen points out that “38% of companies surveyed consider the reskilling of employees a top skills-related challenge for them in 2025, while nearly half echo the same sentiment regarding upskilling.”

This sentiment is echoed by two-thirds of organisations that prioritise helping employees understand the necessity of reskilling.

Wide-reaching impacts of skills shortages

The implications of a skilled workforce in AI could be monumental, with some forecasts suggesting that AI could inject $1.5 trillion into Africa’s economy by 2030, provided the continent can secure 10% of the global AI market.

Companies are beginning to grasp the myriad possibilities stemming from AI innovations.

They cite perceived benefits including improved decision-making (64%), enhanced marketing capabilities (51%), and spurred innovation (47%).

Nevertheless, the undercurrent of skills scarcity is already manifesting in detrimental ways, leading to failed innovation initiatives, delayed project completions, heightened team pressure, and an inability to pursue new client projects. In response, organizations are increasing training frequency, with 94% now offering training at least monthly.

However, despite this training push, concerns are rising regarding declining budgets for skills development.

A stark observation from SAP’s research reveals that no organisation surveyed in 2023 allocated more than 10% of their HR or IT budgets to skills development—a decrease from the previous year’s quarter of organisations that spent over 15%.

Strategies for building an AI-capable workforce

While the full impact of AI on Africa’s workforce remains speculative, Koolen outlines several practical measures companies can adopt:

Be prepared:��Companies must ready themselves for an imminent shortage of critical AI-related skills. A pragmatic approach that melds long-term reskilling and upskilling strategies with immediate, short-term measures is essential to successfully navigate this transitional phase.
Prioritise training:��The shrinking budget for training is concerning. Koolen warns that insufficient investment in skills development could lead to failed digital transformation initiatives, eroding competitiveness and ultimately affecting the bottom line.
Partner well:��With systemic challenges surfacing in equipping youth with work-ready skills, collaborative public-private partnerships can accelerate the pace of skills availability. Moreover, collaboration with technology vendors can enhance organisations’ capacity to support AI-led innovations.

In a world where technological prowess can dictate economic success, it is paramount for African organisations to take informed, decisive steps towards fostering an AI-ready workforce.

The message is clear: investing in skills now is not just an option, it’s a necessity for future resilience and growth.

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Future Founder SA Celebrates Young Innovators on a Day Honouring Nelson Mandela’s Legacy

51��News — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 11:41:35 +0000

On 5 December, 51��hosted the , a youth entrepreneurship initiative supported by , ’s and . The event took place on the anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s passing in 2013, a fitting reminder of his belief that “The youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow.”

In recent months, young entrepreneurs from across South Africa have taken part in the Future Founder SA Programme, gaining real-world experience, mentorship and start-up capital. The finalists presented ventures shaped by lived experience and a commitment to solving meaningful community and industry challenges. A total of R400 000 in equity-free funding was awarded: R250 000 from 51��and R150 000 from FNB.

2025 Winners
• 1^ST Percy Maphologela, EquiXToken
• 2^ND Shantel Tafara, RapidCool
• 3^RD Thando Mzimela, Univio

“Nelson Mandela taught us that the soul of a society is revealed in how it treats its young people,” said , Director of Government Relations and CSR at 51��Africa. “By investing in youth innovation, we build a stronger and more hopeful future.”

The showcase also highlighted the leadership of and from Yoma, whose commitment and vision have shaped the programme. They have poured their hearts, energy, and vision into shaping Future Founder SA. Their belief in young people isn’t theoretical, it’s lived, practical, and courageous. Their work reminds us that when young people lead, others follow. They represent something rare and truly inspiring: youth advocating for youth.

“This is what happens when young people lead. They build, they create and they define the future,” said , Global Revenue Office Operational Excellence Lead and 51��Educate to Employ Africa Lead.

Nonkululeko added: “Young founders are not asking for charity. They are asking for a fair chance. Their courage reminds us that possibility grows wherever young people are trusted and supported.”

The programme is delivered by Yoma in partnership with Goodwall, ALX Ventures and RLabs, with strategic support from 51��and Generation Unlimited. It offers structured skills development, expert-led masterclasses and access to funding, fully online and accessible nationwide.

A special acknowledgement was given to FNB and , Marketing Executive Head: Commercial Segment, for their partnership. Over and above the R150 000 donation towards the capital. On the 4^th of December , the Future Founder SA finalists shared the stage with some of the country’s most recognised digital innovators, including Checkers Sixty60 and D6 along with the ultimate winner, Vula Medical, stands as a powerful example of purpose at scale.

FNB continues to demonstrate its commitment to youth innovation. Following the 2025 T20 Future of Jobs Summit, 51��and FNB began a series of meaningful engagements which led to this moment. Their collaboration is a reminder that when institutions unite behind young people, progress not only happens, it accelerates.

As South Africa continues to face high youth unemployment, the Future Founder SA Showcase stands as a powerful testament to collaboration, innovation and the impact of investing in the country’s young entrepreneurs.

The post Future Founder SA Celebrates Young Innovators on a Day Honouring Nelson Mandela’s Legacy appeared first on 51��Africa News Center.

Africa’s Social Enterprises Generate $96bn and 12 Million Jobs, WEF-backed Report Reveals

Siphelele Dludla — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 06:59:56 +0000

Africa’s social enterprises are emerging as one of the continent’s most powerful engines for inclusive growth, job creation and community development.

This is according to a landmark report released by the in partnership with the , the , , the and .

The report, , provides the most comprehensive mapping of the continent’s social enterprise landscape to date.

The study aims to generate robust evidence on the size, scope and characteristics of social enterprises across Africa, examine the contribution of social enterprises to inclusive and sustainable development, strengthen the evidence base on social enterprise, and provide actionable recommendations to build stronger social enterprise ecosystems and support mechanisms to deepen their impact.

It estimates that Africa is home to 2.18 million social enterprises, representing 17% of all businesses with employees. Collectively, these enterprises generate at least $96 billion in annual revenue, equivalent to 3.2% of Africa’s GDP, and support 12 million jobs directly.

Social enterprises, mission-driven businesses using commercial tools to address social or environmental challenges, are increasingly filling gaps left by shrinking development aid, sluggish economic growth and persistent inequalities.

The data reveals a surge of women and youth at the helm of Africa’s purpose-driven economy. More than 55% of social enterprises surveyed are women-led, far above the 15–30% seen in traditional business sectors.

Youth leadership is equally prominent, with one in three social enterprises led by founders under 35.

“These findings show a profound shift in how African women and young people are redefining entrepreneurship,” the report notes. “They are using business not just to earn income, but to solve the continent’s most pressing challenges.”

Social enterprises create jobs that are both meaningful and inclusive. More than 91% employ youth, 82% employ women and 23% employ people with disabilities. Many operate in rural and peri-urban areas where formal employment is scarce.

Sectors with the highest concentration of social enterprises include education (21%), agriculture (15%) and health and well-being (12%)—areas closely linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Although 64% of social enterprises turned a profit or surplus last year, the report warns that access to finance remains the single biggest barrier to growth.

Nearly half of all surveyed enterprises sought external funding, but only a third succeeded. Grants remain the most accessible capital, while bank loans and impact investment remain out of reach for many, especially informal businesses.

Across the continent, one in two social enterprises report low solvency, highlighting the urgency for better financial instruments, policy support and ecosystem strengthening.

The release of the report follows a major milestone earlier this year: the African Union’s adoption of the first-ever 10-Year Social and Solidarity Economy Strategy, which aims to position social enterprises as central to Africa’s development architecture.

Countries such as Cameroon, Senegal, Morocco and Tunisia have already enacted national SSE laws, while South Africa and Ghana have draft policies underway.

The report recommends five priorities to unlock the sector’s full potential: create enabling ecosystems, expand access to capital, invest in skills, forge cross-sector partnerships and improve data collection.

At a time when global aid is shrinking and development challenges are deepening, the authors argue that social enterprises offer Africa a pathway that is both locally led and economically sustainable.

“Social enterprises are demonstrating that the future of business lies in purpose – in the ability to solve problems that markets and governments alone cannot,” writes Motsepe Foundation CEO in the foreword.

“Across the continent, social entrepreneurs are creating new pathways for shared prosperity, rooted in local knowledge, community solidarity and a deep sense of shared responsibility. Their work shows that development can be both self-determined and globally relevant.”