Lusaka, Zambia, is hosting the first-ever Industrial Skills Week Africa (ISWA 2025) from September 9 to 10, focusing on addressing the continent’s industrial skills gap under the theme “Powering Africa’s Industrial Future: Skills for Innovation, Growth, and Sustainability.” The event is organized by the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD) in collaboration with the Zambian government and brings together ministries, training institutions, private sector representatives, and international partners.
The conference aims to equip Africa’s youth and women with the skills needed for future industrial jobs through sessions on innovation, technical training, and entrepreneurship. AUDA-NEPAD emphasizes that sustainable industrialization requires strong alignment between education and employment, consistent with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and national policies. Hosting ISWA also provides Zambia an opportunity to strengthen its own technical and vocational education and training (TVET) strategy.
Youth unemployment remains a pressing challenge in Africa, with 60% of the working-age population under 25, according to a 2023 United Nations Population Fund report. The International Labour Organization (ILO) warned in 2024 that more than one in four young people on the continent are not in employment, education, or training. Addressing this requires targeted training in high-demand skills to reduce unemployment and support industrial growth.
Felix Mutati, Zambia’s Minister of Technology and Science, highlighted the importance of the event, noting that ISWA aims to showcase the potential of Zambia’s youth, training institutions, and innovations across Africa. He emphasized that African skills must become the backbone of the continent’s industrial development.
The future of Africa’s workforce relies on strong partnerships among governments, businesses, and educational institutions. Initiatives such as community training hubs in Nigeria and skills centers in South Africa have shown that investing in human capital drives employment and innovation. Sustaining this momentum will require intensified practical training, greater inclusion of youth and women, and closer alignment of education with the needs of the industrial market.
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