Paradigm Initiative (PIN), a leading pan African organisation dedicated to advancing digital rights and inclusion in the Global South, is inviting experienced researchers to collaborate on a study titled ‘Evaluating Africa’s Digital Literacy Initiatives and Impact on Global Competency Applicability and Work Readiness.’ This research will examine the effectiveness of digital literacy programs across the African continent, assessing their role in equipping African youth with globally competitive skills for employment in an increasingly digital world.
While Africa is experiencing rapid digital transformation, significant gaps remain in digital skills development, particularly in ensuring that young people are adequately prepared for global workforce demands. Numerous digital literacy initiatives exist, but there remains limited empirical data on their long-term impact on employability and workforce readiness. This study aims to fill that gap by assessing the strengths and weaknesses of these programmes, identifying best practices, and providing recommendations for more effective digital skills training.
To achieve this, PIN is seeking external researchers to work alongside our internal research team in conducting a comprehensive evaluation across five African subregions. They will play a crucial role in data collection, analysis, and reporting, ultimately contributing to policy recommendations that can help shape the future of digital literacy and workforce development in Africa.
We are looking for researchers who can meet the following requirements:
- Expertise in digital literacy, workforce development, or education research
- Experience with data collection, analysis, and research design (quantitative and/or qualitative)
- Familiarity with Africa’s digital education and employment landscapes
- A track record of publishing research reports or policy papers
- Commitment to a six-month research period (February–July 2025)
Mastery of the French language is an added advantage.
Interested researchers should submit their applications by March 17th, 2025 at 12:00 AM GMT
About PIN
Paradigm Initiative (PIN) connects under-served young Africans with digital opportunities and ensures digital rights for all. We have worked in communities across Nigeria since 2007 and across Africa since 2017, building experience, community trust, and an organisational culture that positions us as a leading non-governmental organisation in ICT for Development and digital rights on the continent.
We promote a rights-respecting continent through our team in subregional offices in Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Our interventions are spread across more than 27 African countries. Paradigm Initiative pushes for an Internet that is open, accessible, and affordable to all.
Our programmes include a Life Skills, ICTs, Financial Literacy, and Entrepreneurship (LIFE) Training Programme, a digital readiness workshop for youth, and a Life at Schools Club Programme. PIN has also built online platforms such as Ayeta and Ripoti that educate and serve as safe spaces for reporting digital rights violations.