By Chinenye Anuforo
A widening digital skills gap across Africa is threatening to wipe out 230 million jobs by 2030, a new report by Intreensic, a payments education and advisory firm, has warned.
It added that the issue also retards the continent’s push toward a tech-driven economy and inclusive growth.
To stem the tide and avert what seems like a looming crisis, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Intreensic, Nkebet Mesele, Founder and CEO of Intreensic, a payments education and advisory firm, is urgently calling for a rapid evolution in fintech, payments and digital education systems.
In a recent interview on Arise News’ Global Business Report, Mesele warned: “We have the roles, what we don’t have are the skilled professionals to fill them. Without urgent investment in practical, specialized training, Africa risks missing a generational opportunity to lead in global digital finance.”
The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 highlights technology-related roles, including fintech engineers, AI and machine learning experts, software and application developers, and big data specialists, as among the fastest-growing opportunities globally. However, Mesele cautioned that Africa risks being left behind if its workforce isn’t adequately prepared for these evolving demands.
Drawing on over 17 years of experience in global and African digital payments markets, Mesele emphasised, “The payments and fintech ecosystem in Africa is growing at a remarkable pace, but do we have the right skills to power this growth?”
She pointed to the success of African fintech unicorns like Flutterwave, Paystack, and Interswitch as evidence of the continent’s innovative capacity. “The emergence of fintech unicorns demonstrates the continent’s capacity to lead in digital innovation.
But innovation without talent is unsustainable. If we truly want to harness the full potential of Africa’s digital economy, investing in scalable, specialised payments and fintech education must become a priority across Africa.”
To address the gap, Mesele said Intreensic is reimagining payments education across the continent.
The firm, he added, delivers courses through a state-of-the-art online learning management system, providing flexible and accessible training to learners across Africa. Participants from Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia are already benefiting from Intreensic’s digital platform, which offers engaging content, interactive sessions, and real-world case studies.
He revealed that the company plans to further expand its reach by establishing localised operations in key African markets, aiming to make specialized education and expertise more accessible to everyone involved in the burgeoning payments sector.