IOM, DHL launch digital logistics training academy in Ghana

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and DHL Global Forwarding have launched a digital training academy in Ghana aimed at building logistics and workplace skills among young Africans, including returning migrants.

The initiative, called the Ubuntu Academy, is designed to equip up to 10,000 young people with employability-focused skills over the coming years. It combines IOM’s reintegration expertise with DHL’s logistics know-how to support youth employment and sustainable economic reintegration.

“Private sector partnerships are essential to unlocking the potential of young Africans and ensuring migration delivers on its promise of development,” said Fatou Diallo Ndiaye, IOM Chief of Mission in Ghana, Togo and Benin. She added that the programme seeks to link reintegration directly to labour market opportunities and long-term growth.

Delivered through DHL’s GoTeach initiative, the Ubuntu Academy uses artificial intelligence-enabled, self-paced e-learning modules covering supply chain management and professional skills. The model is intended to be scalable, offering a framework for broader private-sector engagement in youth employment across Africa.

Egidio Monteiro, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding Sub-Saharan Africa, said the academy reflects confidence in young Ghanaians and returning migrants. “By equipping them with in-demand logistics and workplace skills, we’re opening doors to new opportunities, not just within DHL, but across the wider economy,” he said. “When these young people succeed, their families, communities and our country move forward with them.”

The programme targets young Ghanaians, including migrants returning to their communities, with a focus on practical, job-relevant skills. One participant from the first cohort said the training was “practical and relevant to real workplace situations,” adding that it strengthened time management, decision-making and collaboration skills.

The digital platform currently has more than 200 active users. Similar training models have already been piloted in Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe and the Philippines. Under a related programme, Tulaya Academy, several graduates have been placed in supply chain roles, including positions within DHL.

The Ghana launch forms part of DHL’s broader GoHelp partnership with IOM, which supports humanitarian logistics and development-focused initiatives globally. Since 2022, IOM has facilitated the voluntary return of more than 170,000 migrants across West and Central Africa, including over 6,000 in Ghana.

The Ubuntu Academy in Ghana is being implemented under the EU-funded Migrant Protection, Return and Reintegration Programme for Sub-Saharan Africa (MPRR-SSA), with plans for expansion to other African markets.