West Africa - Expanding Access Through Technology-Enabled Skills Training : A Feasibility Study - Completion Note

Overview & Synopsis

Nigeria and Burkina Faso face high levels of forced displacement, with many young people, especially young women, experiencing disrupted education and limited access to livelihoods. Within this context, the World Bank commissioned the Feasibility Study on Technology-Enabled Delivery of Short Courses for Displaced Youth in Select West African Countries to assess whether market-relevant short courses developed by the Africa Centers of Excellence (ACEs) could be delivered to eligible displaced youth in West Africa through technology-enabled approaches. The study focused specifically on Nigeria and Burkina Faso and considered how such approaches could support self-reliance and economic empowerment. The feasibility study examined the learning and support needs of displaced youth in Nigeria and Burkina Faso, reviewed the relevance of ACE short courses, assessed feasible delivery models, and proposed implementation approaches and recommendations for ACEs, national governments, and the World Bank. This activity contributed directly to the Second Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence for Development Impact (P169064) project. This note summarizes the key findings, lessons learned, and strategic recommendations emerging from the study.