The Truth About Tech Certifications in Africa: Cutting Through the Hype

The tech certification industry is booming across Africa. From Lagos to Nairobi, billboards promise “Get Certified, Get Hired” in bold letters. But as the director of AkiliOne’s cybersecurity program, I’ve reviewed hundreds of hiring cases that tell a different story.

The Certification Paradox

Last month, a candidate submitted 12 cybersecurity certifications for a junior SOC analyst role we helped fill. The hiring manager at a top Nigerian bank immediately rejected him. “This shows he’s good at passing tests, not solving problems,” was the feedback.

This reflects our 2023 survey of 85 African tech hiring managers:

• 79% said they prioritize hands-on skills over certifications
• 62% reported that candidates with multiple entry-level certs often perform worse in technical interviews
• Only 18% considered certifications the most important hiring factor

The Three Certification Tiers That Matter

1. The Gold Standard (Vendor-Specific)

These certifications directly align with major technology platforms and come with measurable ROI:

• AWS Certified Solutions Architect
  1. Why it works: Jumia and other African tech unicorns mandate this for cloud roles
  2. Reality check: Requires 6+ months of hands-on experience to pass
  3. Our approach: Students build actual multi-AZ deployments using our simulated fintech environment
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate
  1. Hidden advantage: Critical for government digital transformation projects
  2. Local insight: Pays 23% more than AWS certs in South Africa (OfferZen 2023 data)

2. The Situational Certificates

Valuable only in specific contexts:

• Cisco CCNA
  1. Who needs it: Network engineers at ISPs like MainOne
  2. Declining value: SD-WAN is reducing traditional networking roles
• CompTIA Security+
  1. Best for: Meeting minimum compliance requirements
  2. Limitation: Doesn’t prepare for real-world threats seen in our cyber ranges

3. The Red Flags

Certifications that often hurt more than help:

• “Blockchain Expert” certifications from unknown providers
• Multiple entry-level certs in the same domain (e.g., A+, Network+, CCNA)
• Expired certifications (like MCSE: Server 2012)

What Employers Actually Want

After placing 142 graduates in tech roles last quarter, we found the magic formula:

1. One Gold Standard Certification
2. 3-5 GitHub Projects demonstrating:
   1. Real infrastructure deployments
   2. Incident response simulations
   3. Automation scripts
3. Verifiable Soft Skills
   • Our students document client communications via mock SOC ticket systems

The AkiliOne Difference

We’ve redesigned our certification prep to focus on:

• Exam Cram Sessions that teach test-taking strategies separately
• Project Defense Panels where students justify architectural decisions
• Employer Advisory Boards that continuously update our priorities

Your Action Plan

1. Take Our 2-Minute Certification Quiz to identify your optimal path
2. Review Our Project Portfolio Templates used by hired graduates
3. Book a Strategy Session with our career team

The truth? Certifications are just one piece of the puzzle. At AkiliOne, we build candidates who don’t just pass tests – they solve Africa’s real tech challenges.