The Future of Jobs and Skills Report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) indicates that 52 percent of Kenyan jobs are subject to automation.
Automation will speed up industrialisation and economic growth. New technologies combined with human talent is bound to transform the job market which means the African industries must adapt in order to survive.
The same report says that 44 percent of all work activities in Ethiopia are subject to automation. Jobs susceptible to automation in Nigeria and South Africa are 46 percent and 41 percent respectively.
“The uneven development of the past can only be overcome with locally engineered solutions,” Sabine Dall’Omo, CEO of Siemens Southern and Eastern Africa said. “In an African context, disruptive technology can be seen as an opportunity to leapfrog into the best and most advanced technologies, but this is only possible with access to the right training and equipment.”
According to Siemens, African markets can best benefit from the digital revolution by combining skills training and infrastructure.
“Convergence of man and machine intelligence will enable a new era of speed, flexibility, efficiency and connectivity in the 21st century. […] A strong pipeline of talent with the relevant skills and knowledge is beneficial to governments and businesses, while young people advance into jobs and careers with increased economic opportunity if they have the right skills,” Dall’Omo stated.
WEF data shows that employers in some African markets grapple with employees with limited skills. This makes 41 percent of all employers in Tanzania, 30 percent in Kenya, 9 percent in South Africa, and 6 percent in Nigeria.
