World Bank Targets Youth Unemployment in West and Central Africa

With six million young people entering the workforce annually across Western and Central Africa, the World Bank has launched a $642 million initiative to bridge the gap between education and employment. The SIRA program aims to equip 5.4 million youth with market-ready skills in sectors like energy and agribusiness.

Editorial·June 25, 2026·reads: 1,039

World Bank Targets Youth Unemployment in West and Central Africa

The Skills for Innovation, Resilience, and Aspirations (SIRA) program serves as a cornerstone of the World Bank’s broader Jobs Agenda, prioritizing economic growth through human capital development. By focusing on young women and those currently outside the education system, the initiative seeks to overhaul vocational training and improve governance within educational institutions to better align with private sector demands.

Targeted Regional Implementation

Initial funding will roll out across three nations with distinct economic strategies. In Cabo Verde, the program targets 50,000 citizens aged 15 to 35, focusing on certification and labor market integration. Côte d'Ivoire is set to reach 900,000 individuals, integrating vocational expansion into its National Development Plan 2026–2030 to bolster industrial growth. Meanwhile, Guinea plans to support 2.7 million youth, modernizing secondary education and technical training to support the long-term Simandou Vision 2040.

Ousmane Diagana, World Bank Vice President for the region, described the effort as a fundamental shift in supporting those detached from traditional employment pathways. By building scalable platforms that connect training directly to job creation, the program intends to foster sustainable economic transformation. Division Director Marie-Chantal Uwanyiligira added that the partnership model with employers remains critical to ensuring that the skills developed translate into tangible employment opportunities.