Rwanda becomes MTN’s 12th market to launch skills academy

MTN Rwanda has deepened its partnership with the government by embedding its Digital Skills for Digital Jobs platform into the national education system. The move positions Rwanda as a regional leader in digital skills development while advancing MTN’s Africa-wide ambition to train one million young people by 2025.

By Nhlanhla Muthe

MTN Rwanda has signed a long-term partnership with the Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) to integrate its Skills Academy into the government’s RISE programme, targeting out-of-school youth. The collaboration builds on the country’s Smart Rwanda vision and strengthens public-private efforts to prepare young people for a fast-growing digital economy.

The partnership will see MTN Rwanda’s Digital Skills for Digital Jobs platform, also known as the MTN Skills Academy, integrated into MINEDUC’s upcoming RISE programme, which targets out-of-school youth and learners seeking alternative pathways into employment and entrepreneurship.

“Earlier today, the Ministry of Education, Government of Rwanda and MTN Rwanda signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), formalising a long-term partnership that leverages technology to strengthen Rwanda’s education sector,” MTN Rwanda said in a LinkedIn post announcing the deal.

At the core of the initiative is the MTN Skills Academy, a free digital learning platform that offers career guidance and access to more than 500 online courses across in-demand fields such as coding, digital marketing, data analytics and workplace readiness. The academy is designed to help young people convert internet access into real economic opportunities.

“Central to this collaboration is MTN Rwanda’s recently launched Digital Skills for Digital Jobs, also known as MTN Skills Academy, which will be incorporated into MINEDUC’s upcoming RISE program targeting youth who have not completed school,” the giant telco stated. “The platform offers career guidance and access to over 500 digital skills courses, empowering youth to translate connectivity into real life opportunities.”

The signing ceremony was attended by Minister of ICT and Innovation Paula Ingabire and Minister of Public Service and Labour Amb. Christine Nkulikiyinka in a demonstration of the government’s focus on building a digitally inclusive workforce aligned with Rwanda’s national development goals.

MTN Rwanda highlighted that the partnership reflects its broader belief that “MTN can only flourish when the communities and ecosystems in which it operates are thriving and growing.”

The Skills Academy forms part of MTN Group’s continent-wide ambition to reach one million learners by 2025, in line with the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa and MTN’s Ambition 2025 framework. Rwanda becomes the 12th MTN market to roll out the platform.

The MoU builds on MTN Rwanda’s earlier public-sector collaborations, including its participation in Smart Rwanda, Connect Rwanda, digital education connectivity projects, and government partnerships that have expanded mobile money adoption and digital public services.

“Through the MTN Skills Academy, MTN continues to support youth across Africa with free digital training,” the company said.