Interview with Mody-Oury Barry : “Ceditech’s ambition is to build a pan-African network of interconnected centers of excellence”

By Dounia Ben Mohamed, in Abidjan

Can you tell us about the origin of Ceditech and what motivated you to create this digital center of excellence in Côte d’Ivoire?

Ceditech was born from a deep conviction: Africa must stop being merely a consumer of technology and become a creator

Ceditech was born from a deep conviction: Africa must stop being merely a consumer of technology and become a creator. Observing the growing gap between business needs and the skills available on the market, my team and I wanted to build a center of excellence capable of training immediately operational talent to support the digital transformation of the continent. Côte d’Ivoire, a dynamic and innovation-oriented country, naturally emerged as the ideal location for this project, combining local expertise with international standards.

How does the campus operate on a daily basis, and what innovative teaching methods set Ceditech apart from other training centers?

At Ceditech, training is not an end in itself: it is designed as a springboard to employment

On a daily basis, Ceditech offers accelerated digital training over six months, aimed at a new generation of talent ready to meet market needs. The pedagogy is immersive and hybrid, combining in-person and remote learning, and focused on practice and the acquisition of recognized certifications. At Ceditech, training is not an end in itself: it is designed as a springboard to employment. Each student receives intensive support, works on real projects, and benefits from guaranteed placement at the end of the program. The “Learn by Doing” approach combines theory and practice from day one in a collaborative, agile environment. Trainers act as coaches, and progress is measured with concrete indicators.

How does Ceditech create real value for recent graduates and professionals changing careers, particularly in terms of employability and digital skills?

Ceditech prepares its students for the most in-demand professions: cloud systems administrator, AI engineer, security analyst, cloud data analyst, full-stack developer, DevOps engineer, systems and network administrator, and digital marketing specialist. But learning does not stop at technical skills: the development of soft skills such as leadership, communication, and project management is also central. The result: graduates and professionals in career transition leave ready to be hired or to start their own business, with post-training support and a network of partner companies to facilitate their integration.

With 80% of current jobs expected to disappear in the next twenty years due to artificial intelligence, how do you prepare African youth to face these new challenges and adapt to a changing job market?

In the face of automation and artificial intelligence that will transform 80% of jobs over the next twenty years, the goal is clear: not only to train for existing jobs but to prepare youth to invent the jobs of tomorrow

Faced with automation and artificial intelligence that will transform 80% of jobs over the next twenty years, Ceditech focuses on training agile minds. The programs already integrate AI, data science, automation, and transversal skills while raising awareness of AI ethics and digital responsibility. The goal is clear: not only to train for existing jobs but to prepare youth to invent the jobs of tomorrow. The campus collaborates with the Ministry of Digital Transition and Digitalization of Côte d’Ivoire, the Jeunesse Numérique Foundation, and GIZ to create a sustainable ecosystem for learning and innovation.

What is your roadmap for this academic year, particularly the 2025 program aiming to train and place 500 Ivorian youth in the digital sector?

Ceditech’s 2025 program aims to train and place 500 Ivorian youth in digital professions between 2025 and 2026

Ceditech’s 2025 program aims to train and place 500 Ivorian youth in digital professions between 2025 and 2026. This initiative is based on intensive and certified training, structured professional integration with a network of partner companies, and post-training follow-up to support graduates’ career growth. The campus is also expanding its continuous training offerings for companies and public institutions and organizing events like Afterworks and strategic breakfasts to connect startups, institutions, and young talent.

Finally, do you plan to replicate the Ceditech model in other African countries?

The future of Ceditech is an Africa that trains itself, adapts, and innovates on its own

Indeed, we plan to replicate the Ceditech model in other African countries. The ambition is to build a pan-African network of interconnected centers of excellence, sharing the values of excellence, inclusion, innovation, and impact. While neighboring countries have already shown interest, the immediate priority is to consolidate the success of the Abidjan campus to make it a continental reference before deploying the concept on a larger scale. The future of Ceditech is an Africa that trains itself, adapts, and innovates on its own.