Hard Skills Lab 2026: Free Data and AI Training for Young Africans

Application Deadline: December 1, 2026.

Applications are open for the first cohort of Hard Skills Lab, a free, online, 8-week program that teaches young Africans data analysis and artificial intelligence. The application deadline is December 1, 2026.

The program runs in French and English, needs no coding experience, and ends with a real project you can add to your portfolio. If you’ve been wanting to learn data and AI but didn’t know where to start, or couldn’t afford a course, this is worth a look.

About Hard Skills Lab

Hard Skills Lab believes African talent deserves practical, high-quality training in data and AI. Its approach is to teach by doing, so you finish with a project rather than only theory.

The program is:

Free: No fees at all
100% online: Study from wherever you live
Bilingual: French and English, so learners from both francophone and anglophone countries can take part
Beginner friendly: No experience needed
Open across Africa: Young people from anywhere on the continent

How the Program Works

The cohort lasts eight weeks, and everyone follows two tracks at once:

Data Analysis with Python, led by Kokou Hugues Minasseh, a data scientist and educator
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, led by Yao Gervais Amoah, a software engineer and educator

Each week you join one live data session and one live AI session, then work through hands-on exercises at your own pace. Plan for about 10 to 12 hours a week. The AI sessions only use Python taught in the data track, so you can start from zero.

What You Will Learn

Data track: Python basics, NumPy, pandas, data cleaning, exploratory analysis and data visualisation. By the end, you can load, clean and explore messy data, then present findings with clear charts in a notebook.

AI and ML track: What AI and machine learning are, how machines learn, regression and classification models, comparing models fairly, finding groups in data and using generative AI responsibly.

Tools: Python, Jupyter, Google Colab, NumPy, pandas, Matplotlib, seaborn and scikit-learn.

The Capstone Project

In weeks 7 and 8, you pick a real dataset on an issue you care about. You clean, explore and chart it, add one AI model that predicts or groups something useful, then present your findings, the model’s limits and one recommendation.

The team shares two sample projects on GitHub: an analysis of UK road accident records and a model that predicts which streaming customers will cancel.

Benefits

No cost: Free training in two in-demand skills
Live teaching: Weekly sessions with instructors
Hands-on practice: Exercises you do at your own pace
A portfolio project: Finish with something real to show employers
Flexible format: Fully online, in French or English
No coding background needed: Start from zero

Who Can Apply

The program is for young people from anywhere in Africa. You’ll also need:

About 10 to 12 hours a week to spare
A stable internet connection

The page doesn’t state an age range or education requirement, so check the application form for any further rules.

How to Apply and Key Dates

Fill in the online application form, in French or English. There is no application fee.

Key date:

December 1, 2026: Cohort 1 application deadline

The page doesn’t show the cohort start date or whether you’ll receive a certificate. Both answers sit in the FAQ section, so read it before you apply. Questions can go to contact@hardskills-lab.org.

Tips for a Strong Application

Be honest about your time. Ten to twelve hours a week is a real commitment, so plan it around work or study.
Test your internet. You need a stable connection for live sessions.
Think about your capstone early. Pick an issue you care about, like health, transport, farming or education, so you can choose a dataset quickly.
Practise a little first. You don’t need experience, but a free Python basics lesson helps.
Set up Google Colab. It’s free and one of the main tools you’ll use.
Apply in the language you’re most comfortable with. Both are accepted.
Don’t wait for the last week. First cohorts often fill quickly.

Final Thoughts

Data and AI skills are in demand across Africa, and a free, project-based course lowers the barrier to entry. If you have the time and a steady connection, apply before December 1, 2026.

For more information and to apply, CLICK HERE