Côte d’Ivoire’s government is moving to modernize vocational training in partnership with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), focusing on aligning skills development with labour market demands and boosting youth employment.
Minister of National Education and Technical Education N’Guessan Koffi met a GIZ delegation to discuss the Support for the Development of Dual Vocational Training (ADEFA) project, which combines classroom learning with company internships to improve employability.
Launched in November 2023, ADEFA is funded with €9 million from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The initiative targets key growth sectors such as automotive mechanics, hospitality and catering, and port logistics. Its long-term goal is to reach several hundred thousand learners and help them transition effectively into the labour market.
GIZ has been active in Côte d’Ivoire for more than 50 years, providing technical assistance, methodological guidance, and best-practice sharing with public institutions. The agency helps design vocational programmes tailored to business needs and ensures training pathways can lead directly to employment opportunities.
Other programmes supported by German cooperation have also contributed to the country’s skills ecosystem. In 2024, a joint initiative with the European Union trained around 450 young people in industrial mechanics and digital technology at Yopougon vocational high school, in collaboration with local companies.
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The reform comes amid persistent challenges in youth employment. Although the Ivorian economy is expanding rapidly — with growth projected at 6.1 percent in 2024 and 6.3 percent in 2025 according to the International Monetary Fund — young people still face difficulties entering the labour market.
A recent African Development Bank analysis found that over 40 percent of private-sector employers believe current training programmes do not sufficiently meet market needs, particularly in technical and industrial occupations. Similarly, the French Development Agency estimates the overall skills mismatch rate at 75.87 percent, with overqualification (61.38 percent) and under-skilling (59.19 percent) the most common issues.
Minister N’Guessan Koffi said GIZ’s support is a key driver in strengthening youth vocational training and promoting sustainable employment, helping the country address the gap between education outcomes and the needs of the private sector.
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The ADEFA project and related initiatives illustrate Côte d’Ivoire’s efforts to develop a workforce capable of supporting rapid economic growth while improving the employability of its youth population. By linking vocational training to business needs, the government aims to reduce the skills mismatch and create a pipeline of technically trained workers ready to enter sectors critical for national development.
