trainers explaining the facilities at digital innovation hub to guests

© ILO/Zelalem Desta Alemenew
Trainers at the Digital Innovation Hub explaining guest about facilities and trainings offered at the centre.

Jigjiga, ETHIOPIA (ILO News)  – The International Labour Organization (ILO), in close partnership with the Somali Regional State Innovation and Technology Bureau and with the generous support from the Government of the Netherlands, has officially launched a new Digital Innovation Hub in Jigjiga, Ethiopia’s Somali Region.

The launch marks a milestone under the ILO’s PROSPECTS programme, which promotes inclusive access to employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for forcibly displaced persons and host communities. Jigjiga being one of Ethiopia’s largest refugee-hosting regions, the hub will play a vital role in bridging the digital divide and promoting inclusive digital livelihoods.

The new Digital Innovation Hub will become a dynamic center, offering crucial services that empower individuals and foster innovation:

  • Co-working space that encourage collaboration and promote employment opportunities for youth;
  • Free internet connectivity  to ensure digital inclusion
  • Comprehensive digital skills training, ranging from short-term and long-term digital skills training programs.




people cutting ribbon at the digital innovation hub

© ILO/Zelalem Desta Alemnew
Representatives from the Netherlands, the ILO and the Somali Regional State Bureau of Innovation and Technology cutting ribbon for the launch of Digital Innovation Hub.

“This Digital Innovation Hub embodies our shared vision for inclusive and sustainable development,” said Khumbula Ndaba, Director of the ILO Country Office for Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan and Special Representative to the African Union (AU) and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). “Through digital technology, we are not only equipping young people with the tools they need for employment and entrepreneurship, but also fostering a culture of innovation and resilience that can transform communities.”

Stephen Opio, Chief Technical Advisor of ILO PROSPECTS in Ethiopia and Sudan, emphasized, “The PROSPECTS partnership is dedicated to improving access to education, protection, and decent work for forcibly displaced persons and host communities. This Digital Innovation Hub is a cornerstone of our efforts to leverage digital solutions for economic inclusion and sustainable development in the region.”

Mohamed Ali, Head of the Somali Regional State Bureau of Innovation and Technology, highlighted the regional government’s vision. “The Somali Regional State is prioritizing digitalization as a key driver for economic growth and job creation. This hub will be instrumental in nurturing local talent and ensuring our youth are well-prepared for the demands of the digital economy, fostering innovation from within our communities,” he said.




two young people working on a computer

© ILO/Zelalem Desta Alemenew
Young candidates accessing the computers and internet connectivity at the newly launched Digital Innovation Hub in Ethiopia.

Christine Pirenne, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Ethiopia, reiterated her government’s support: “We are proud to support this initiative as part of our broader commitment to the PROSPECTS partnership. This Digital Innovation Hub represents a concrete investment in the future of young people, providing them with the tools and opportunities to thrive in an increasingly digital world.”

Ambassador Pirenne added, “By strengthening the digital skills of young people and linking them to market-relevant employment and entrepreneurship paths, we are supporting pathways to self-reliance.”

Ethiopia’s long-standing history of hosting refugees, maintaining an open-door policy and progressive legislation, including Proclamation No. 1110/2019, enable refugee inclusion in productive employment. The Somali region, as the second largest refugee-hosting region in Ethiopia, faces unique challenges, making this hub a critical resource for its diverse population. The establishment of this hub reaffirms country’s dedication to addressing the refugee crisis through collaborative efforts and strengthens its role as a co-convener of the Global Refugee Forum in December 2023.




attendees of the launch ceremony standing together

© ILO/Zelalem Desta Alemenew
Attendees of the launch event posing outside the Digital Innovation Hub.

About PROSPECTS

PROSPECTS is a global partnership that aims to improve the access of host communities and forcibly displaced people to education, social protection, decent work and critical infrastructure.

Spearheaded by the Government of the Netherlands, it brings together the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Bank to help transform the way in which governments and other stakeholders, including the private sector, respond to forced displacement.

For more details contact: Zelalem Desta Alemenew, Communications Officer, ILO PROSPECTS – Ethiopia – [email protected]

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