Enrolments in artificial intelligence (AI)-related micro-credentials rose 95% in Ghana and 93% in Nigeria over the past year, as both countries step up efforts to build digital skills and prepare their workforces for an increasingly AI-driven economy, according to Coursera’s Global Skills Report 2026.
The report, the eighth annual edition published by the online learning platform, identifies growing demand for AI, cybersecurity and analytical problem-solving courses across West Africa. Its findings draw on a subset of learning data from more than 300 million learners across Coursera and Udemy.
The surge in training coincides with government initiatives to accelerate digital transformation. Ghana has launched its National AI Strategy, announced a $250 million investment in an AI Computing Centre and introduced the One Million Coders Programme. Nigeria, meanwhile, has launched a government-funded digital skills initiative through the Federal Ministry of Education’s Digital Training Academy, targeting 32,000 people.
AI adoption is also gaining ground in Nigeria’s business sector. Coursera, citing the World Bank’s World Development Report 2026, said the share of formal Nigerian businesses with at least five employees using AI tools increased from less than 5% in 2022 to about 40% in 2025.
Technical skills paired with critical thinking
Beyond technical proficiency, learners in both countries are increasingly pursuing skills that help them apply AI in practical settings, including AI security, agentic workflows, critical thinking and complex problem-solving.
The report identifies distinct learning patterns in the two markets. Ghanaian learners are combining foundational machine-learning knowledge with critical thinking, while Nigerian learners are pairing operational planning with multi-agent orchestration.
However, rising enrolments have yet to translate into similarly strong positions in Coursera’s new AI-Human Skills Synergy Index, which evaluates 98 countries on their combination of AI proficiency, reasoning skills and digital infrastructure.
Nigeria ranked fifth among 11 sub-Saharan African countries and 81st globally, while Ghana placed eighth regionally and 89th worldwide.
Kais Zribi, Coursera’s general manager for the Middle East and Africa, said the priority was to turn growing demand for AI training into practical capabilities that lead to employment and entrepreneurship.
“Nigeria’s learners are investing in AI credentials while strengthening the human skills needed to put their knowledge to work. The next opportunity is to make those pathways accessible to more people and connect them with employment and entrepreneurship,” Zribi said.
He continued: “Governments, employers and educational institutions need to address barriers to participation, help learners complete their training and provide ways to demonstrate their skills in real-world settings.”
Workplace experience key to converting skills into jobs
In Ghana, Zribi said the increase in enrolments offered a foundation for improving workforce readiness, but translating that interest into demonstrable skills remained a priority.
He urged employers and educational institutions to align training with industry needs and give learners opportunities to apply their knowledge through practical projects and workplace experience.
These efforts could reinforce the One Million Coders Programme’s objectives of improving employability, supporting entrepreneurship and broadening participation in the digital economy.
The findings point to a wider challenge for both countries: ensuring that investment in digital training produces a workforce capable of applying AI effectively across businesses and industries.
