The bank says the goal of this initiative is to guarantee fair access to higher education

The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) has committed €70 million to Senegal's digital education initiative.

The DBSA's Transacting division granted a €70 million on-lending sovereign loan to the Senegalese government for the development of 45 open digital spaces, or ENOs, as part of the Virtual University of Senegal (UVS) expansion project.

According to the development bank, this program is consistent with a Senegal plan aimed at reforming higher education to meet the significant increase in student enrollment and alleviate the sector's infrastructure limitations.

The DBSA added that the goal of this initiative is to guarantee fair access to higher education for young General Certificate of Education Advanced Level holders of all genders in Senegal, as well as to assist their professional development.

Mpho Mokwele, group executive – Transacting at DBSA said: "By investing in digital learning spaces, we are enabling access to quality education for thousands of students, thereby contributing to the socio-economic development of Senegal."

The initiative is a combined effort by Senegal's Ministry of Finance and Budget, the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation, and a consortium of partners that includes Standard Chartered Bank and Banque Nationale pour le Développement Économique.

The financial arrangement includes a EUR 167.7 million facility, with DBSA guaranteeing EUR 70 million for the Euro Tranche.

According to the bank, this initiative demonstrates the DBSA's commitment to supporting educational infrastructure development across Africa, as well as aiding employment creation during and after construction.

"Building Africa's prosperity requires strategic investments in key sectors such as education, healthcare, and technology," said Seison Reddy, DBSA's head transacting South Africa and International. 

The DBSA stated that through public-private partnerships, it uses private sector experience and capital to supplement public sector efforts to address infrastructure needs and improve service delivery in the region.

Furthermore, DBSA pointed out that ICT enables decentralised work efforts, bridging time and gaps between countries.

It added: “Education, a key driver of change, equips people with the knowledge and skills needed to secure jobs, enabling emerging economies to thrive in global markets.

“However, many of these nations, especially in Africa, need more infrastructure to fully participate in global value chains. According to a World Bank study, Africa will need €100 billion to achieve universal broadband connectivity by 2030.”

This, according to the bank, is where funding is important in driving Africa toward reaching the necessary capability to meet Africa ICT infrastructure development goals.