Kenya calls for coordinated green skills strategy to drive Africa's green economy

The call was made at the close of the GreenWorks 4 Africa: Africa Green Skills and Jobs Summit in Nairobi on Thursday, where policymakers, development partners, researchers and private sector leaders agreed that Africa's green economic transformation would depend on building integrated systems that connect skills development, job creation and enterprise growth.

Principal Secretary for Environment and Climate Change Dr. Eng. Festus K. Ng'eno said governments across the continent were seeking practical models that could translate green economy ambitions into tangible economic opportunities.

"We truly appreciate what you are doing as Jacob's Ladder Africa. Governments across Africa are looking for models that work because our dignity and prosperity depend on it," he said.

Ng'eno linked investment in green energy and green economic systems to Kenya's long-term development agenda, saying such investments should be viewed as investments in national development.

He also welcomed the summit's emphasis on bringing together governments, businesses, academia and development partners to move beyond policy discussions towards practical implementation.

Jacob's Ladder Africa Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Sellah Bogonko said the forum had created a platform for stakeholders to identify solutions that could be adapted and scaled across the continent.

"We must connect the dots that ensure that we are moving in the same direction, in a concerted manner and with the same effort," she said.

Participants recommended making apprenticeships and dual training programmes central to green skills development while strengthening employer participation. They also called for wider recognition of prior learning to ensure young people and workers with informally acquired skills are not excluded from emerging green employment opportunities.

The summit further urged governments and training institutions to align education programmes with labour market demand, invest in locally led green solutions and strengthen collaboration among governments, businesses, investors and development partners to build integrated green economic ecosystems.

Delegates also backed the expansion of the Alliance for Greening Skills and Opportunities Africa to deepen cooperation among governments, employers, academia and investors in advancing the continent's green skills and jobs agenda.