Women in Tech SA partners microsoft to train women in AI in 9 African countries

What began as a local AI skilling effort in South Africa is now moving into a continental opportunity, as Women in Tech South Africa, ABSA Group, and Microsoft Elevate join forces to expand the ElevateHer AI programme into nine additional African markets.

ElevateHer AI is a digital literacy programme designed to equip women with practical, hands-on AI skills they can leverage at their workplaces, businesses, and communities.

Following its launch in South Africa in September 2025, the initiative has already trained over 10,000 learners, a number that signals both demand and impact. That is, access to AI knowledge is no longer limited to global tech hubs or specialised institutions. 

Through the combined reach of Absa’s pan-African footprint, Microsoft’s Elevate AI skilling platform, and Women in Tech’s community networks, women across the continent are gaining entry into one of the most important skill sets shaping the future of work.

Related: 10 female-led platforms to learn and master tech skills in 2026

Absa and Microsoft are scaling AI access across Africa

Absa Group Limited is one of Africa’s largest diversified financial services groups listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. It offers an integrated set of products and services across personal and business banking, corporate and investment banking, wealth and investment management and insurance.

According to the firm, this expansion aligns with global discussions, including those at the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this year, which highlighted the urgent need to close global AI skills gaps and ensure emerging economies are equipped to participate meaningfully in an AI-driven future.

“Through the programme, Absa is leveraging its pan-African footprint alongside Microsoft’s Elevate AI skilling platform and Women in Tech’s deep community networks to equip women with practical, job-relevant AI skills,” it said. 

It added that ElevateHer supports employability, entrepreneurship, and economic participation, enabling women not only to use AI but to actively shape how it is applied within their industries, communities, and economies. 

By scaling ElevateHer beyond South Africa, the partnership reinforces a shared commitment to responsible AI adoption, gender inclusion, and sustainable skills development.

For Absa, the initiative also reflects a broader commitment to inclusion and future-ready skills across its African operations.

Tamu Dutuma, Head of Strategy and Transformation – Technology, Africa Regions at Absa

“Digital confidence is becoming just as important as financial literacy, and it can transform how people work and lead. This partnership allows us to equip our employees and communities across the continent with the AI skills they need to thrive. Diversity and inclusion remain core to Absa’s purpose, and programmes like ElevateHer help ensure that no one is left behind as technology advances,” Tamu Dutuma, Head of Strategy and Transformation – Technology, Africa Regions at Absa said.

Upon completing the programme, participants receive Microsoft-verified badges that they can share on social media and professional platforms — a small but powerful way to signal competence and readiness in a rapidly evolving job market.

However, Microsoft sees this as part of a much larger global responsibility.

“As highlighted during the World Economic Forum in Davos, inclusive economic growth in the age of AI depends on building skills at scale in emerging markets. For Africa, this requires deliberate investment in women’s AI capabilities,” Tiara Pathon, AI Skills Director for Microsoft Elevate at Microsoft South Africa, said.

The role of Women in Tech in AI access in Africa

Women in Tech South Africa is on a mission to empower five million women and girls in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) by 2030, and continues to champion gender inclusion and digital access in Africa. 

Recently, Microsoft and the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) announced a powerful partnership to unlock free, accredited AI and digital skills learning via the SABC Plus app.

This makes future-ready skills accessible to millions of South Africans, including those with limited access to laptops, data, or traditional learning platforms.

However, the Women in Tech South Africa’s partnership with Microsoft Elevate to create the ElevateHer platform is also designed to drive this exact opportunity to women and Youth. This is not only in South Africa, but across the African continent. This program will now also be available via the SABC Plus App.

Women in Tech South Africa is a registered non-profit organisation and focuses on advancing gender diversity within the technology sector. The organisation promotes the participation of women and girls in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and supports initiatives aligned to global development priorities.

Speaking on the expansion, Melissa Slaymaker, Africa Regional Director, Women in Tech Global, said, “Many women are eager to engage with AI but don’t always know where to start. ElevateHer AI gives participants the practical skills and confidence to use AI in their work, studies, and businesses.”

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