Who we are

The Digital Skills Accelerator Africa e. V. (DSAA) is an independent non-profit association of ITO and BPO companies. With our member companies and funding partners, we jointly implement programs that create good jobs across the African continent’s ITO and BPO sectors. Through our structure, we can reliably manage and implement projects with multiple funding partners. On our current projects, we collaborate with the Special Initiative “Decent Work for a Just Transition” of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Corporation and Development (BMZ), which is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) among others.

Key competences of the DSAA

Development and funding of practice-oriented and demand-driven training programmes that meet international standards and company-specific needs.

Provision of research results, studies, and advisory service.

Access to a company network that allows to share knowledge, best practices, and to create synergies.

Empowerment of marginalised groups, such as people with disabilities and women in tech through cooperation with local NGOs and sensitization trainings for member companies.

Creating business opportunities for companies and job opportunities for individuals.

Why we are doing what we are doing

Until 2030, European businesses expect 1 million open positions in the ICT sector.

COVID-19 increased businesses’ openness to new markets as lockdowns disrupted local operations.

Furthermore, the pandemic increased the acceptance of remote work significantly.

In Africa, a growing, young, and tech-savvy talent pool is eager to kickstart their careers or start their own businesses.

However, 67% of businesses see technical or other skill gaps as major barrier when it comes to employing local talents or buying IT-services from the continent.

Without digital skills, the continent will miss out on the opportunities technology and digitalisation offer for development and improved well-being.

We see the potential of the African youth and thus, want to take an active role in supporting job creation in the IT sectors across the continent. Jointly with our growing member company base, we co-fund, develop, and manage training programs that lead into good jobs.

Our member companies

In 2019, the DSAA was founded with the aim to develop a company network that believes in the potential of the African labor markets and wants to drive the cooperation between Africa and Europe. Since then, the DSAA came a long way. Today, 25 companies are part of the DSAA:

Our association

From its headquarters in Cologne (Germany), the DSAA team coordinates joint project implementation with its member companies and funding partners across 7 African countries.

Meet our team

Jean Paul Twagirimana

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Jean Paul Twagirimana
Treasurer
Jean Paul, Chief Financial Officer at Comprehensive Staffing Resources Ltd, is a finance professional with over 10 years of experience. I have a proven track record of excelling in financial management, planning, and overseeing business operations. Throughout my career, I have applied my skills across various sectors including the public and Private Sectors. In my current role, I successfully oversee the company’s finances, provide financial analysis and advice to the board and develop financial standards, policies, procedures, and systems. Additionally, I implement action plans to ensure sound financial management and advise management on investment decisions.
Nina Gebauer

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Nina Gebauer
Consultant for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Nina Gebauer is a business psychologist with over 6 years of professional experience in the fields of management consulting, management diagnostics, HR development, organizational development, leadership and coaching. Additionally, she supports young women and men through coaching and mentorship enabling individual, personal and professional growth.
Martin Hecker

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Martin Hecker
Chair of the Board
Martin Hecker is the Founder and CEO of AmaliTech, a social business that empowers youth in sub-Saharan Africa through the creation of sustainable jobs and continuous learning opportunities in the tech sector. Previously, Martin led the Technology Advantage Practice in Central and Eastern Europe as a Senior Partner and Managing Director of the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and built an IT consulting firm in Latin America that belongs to one of the largest IT service providers in South and Central America.
Svenja Schauten

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Svenja Schauten
Deputy Managing Director
Svenja has an academic background in foreign languages, economics and EU cooperation management. With a track record in public administration and EU institutions, Svenja dedicated her professional path to international development cooperation in the digital sector. In her role as Deputy Managing Director of the DSAA e. V., Svenja is responsible for managing the branch office in Cologne and developing the start-up structures of the association.
Dr. Eva Lena Richter

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Dr. Eva Lena Richter
Project Manager
Eva has an academic background in business administration, economics, and Chinese studies. Her PhD project focused on skilled labor migration to China, encompassing regulatory and legal facets. Prior to her role as DSAA e.V., she managed projects at GIZ on the field of industry standardization. As the Project Manager for Project Development & Implementation at DSAA e. V., she eagerly looks forward to advancing your ideas from inception to fruition!
Dr. Itoro Emembolu

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Dr. Itoro Emembolu
Advisor to the Board
Itoro is a Director at TechQuest STEM Academy, with academic background spanning Mechanical Engineering, International Business, Energy & Petroleum, Management, and a PhD in Computer Networks and Security. With over a decade of experience in digital inclusion, program design, research, and capacity building, she has led initiatives that have directly impacted over 44,000 individuals and reached more than 89,000 through indirect engagements. An engineer, interdisciplinary researcher, TEDx speaker, and a Connector for Digital Africa, Itoro brings a unique blend of technical expertise and strategic vision to ecosystem development and community engagement. Her work bridges the intersection of education, technology, and entrepreneurship.
Karim Layachi

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Karim Layachi
Deputy Chair of the Board
Karim is a seasoned Managing Director and Business Development Executive with deep expertise in project management, business model development, and the integration of emerging technologies. Throughout his career, he has been committed to fostering job creation across Africa, spearheading the expansion of BPO companies into new markets, including Madagascar, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Benin. Driven by a strong vision, he aspires to serve as a global ambassador for African nations in the digital economy of today and the future. His mission is to advocate for the creation of sustainable, high-value jobs in sectors such as data annotation and medical BPO, ensuring long-term economic growth and opportunity.
Victor Bannerman-Chedid

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Victor Bannerman-Chedid
Advisor to the Board
Victor is a seasoned digital transformation leader and marketing strategist with a track record of driving innovation across Africa’s telecom, finance, technology, and outsourcing sectors. As Chief Strategy Officer at eServices Africa Ltd., he is helping shape the future of Business Process Outsourcing on the continent. A passionate advocate for the role of AI in job creation, he has served on a Government of Ghana committee focused on integrating digital skills and intelligence into national education curricula. Victor brings a visionary perspective on inclusive digital growth and the future of work in Africa.
Maged Mohamed Antar

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Maged Mohamed Antar
Advisor to the Board
Maged is an experienced Organizational Development Manager at Xceed with a strong foundation in HR, quality assurance, and process optimization. Holding a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and a Master’s in Strategic Management, he has successfully led initiatives that align with COPC and ISO standards, enhancing efficiency and exceeding customer expectations. A Six Sigma expert, Maged has transformed quality management systems and advanced workforce performance. He is also a passionate advocate for inclusivity, leading Xceed’s disabilities project and dedicating over 20 years to empowering visually impaired and differently-abled individuals in Egypt’s labor market. Beyond his corporate contributions, Maged is a certified Health and Safety expert, committed to fostering secure work environments.
Marietta Crump

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Marietta Crump
Project Assistant
Marietta is currently supporting the DSAA as part of her voluntary social year. In her role as Project Assistant at the Cologne office, she contributes to the coordination and implementation of various initiatives. Through this experience, she is gaining valuable insights into the dynamics of international cooperation, as well as into collaborative project management and financial administration.

Join our team

Currently no open positions!

We have currently no open positions available. Feel free to contact us via the “Apply now” button with an initiative application.

Contact us

We are looking forward to hearing from you!
Get to know more about the DSAA, its member companies, and how the association can support your business by contacting us.

EGYPT

Côte D’ivoire

Ghana

RWanda

morocco

senegal

Did you know?
The time zone of Africa is the same or very similar to the CET / European time.

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