Transforming the transport sector 
in Ghana and Morocco 

The transport sector plays a critical role in the development of African countries. It not only facilitates economic activities between countries and regions,  but also enables access to essential services and enhances social and economic development. However, the transport sector is among the largest environmental polluters. In Morocco alone, it is responsible for more than 30% of total CO2 emissions, while in Ghana, for almost half of overall energy-related emissions. These challenges are caused by the increase in road traffic due to growing economic activity and urbanisation. Between 2006 and 2018, the number of vehicles on Morocco’s roads more than doubled, while Ghana experienced a 147% increase in road traffic between 2016 and 2019. 

These surges have far-reaching economic, environmental, and social impacts, leading to decreased quality of life. The Moroccan and Ghanaian governments are committed to addressing these challenges by promoting alternative vehicle technologies such as electric vehicles (EVs), as well as by reducing the dependency on fossil fuels. Ghana is dedicated to enhancing public transportation and addressing climate change through its EV sector, while Morocco stands out as one of the few African countries with local EV production capacity and a great potential for growth into the wider African and European markets. 

Although progress has been made, e-mobility use in both countries is still in the early stages. The industry grapples with significant challenges such as inadequate policy measures, a shortage of skilled workers, poor EV infrastructure, and limited access to modern technology as well as raw materials such as lithium, nickel, and cobalt. Widespread EV adoption requires skill-delivery pathways that addresses various industry needs, such as on-the-job training, apprenticeships, vocational training, and higher education. However, each country faces its own challenges in making this transition. In Ghana, most auto repair shops operate within the informal sector, meaning they typically lack formal education or certification and would need to be specifically trained to service EVs. In Morocco, where the potential for EV manufacturing is promising, there is an additional need to develop a workforce of highly skilled technicians, engineers and workers who are trained in the production of electric vehicles. Appropriate training courses specialising in robotics, IT or even quality management are needed from academia and training institutions to meet the demand in the automotive sector.  

The Boosting e-Mobility Jobs in Africa (BOOST) project collaborates with key stakeholders in order to address these challenges. 

With support from Invest for Jobs, the Urban Electric Mobility Initiative (UEMI), an NGO dedicated to promoting sustainable urban mobility development, launched the BOOST project in December 2023. The goal of the project is to develop a strategy for sustained growth in the e-mobility sector and to create more than 250 jobs in both countries. The project hopes to reduce carbon emissions and boost economic growth in Ghana and Morocco. 

To achieve this, the BOOST project is developing training programmes in collaboration with local entrepreneurs, industry and technical experts, regional platforms for electric mobility, universities, and TVET institutions.These training programmes focus on the technical knowledge and practical skills required to work in the EV market and are aimed at fresh graduates and final year students, primarily engineers in fields directly related to EVs, such as renewable energy, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and software engineering. 

The BOOST project also aims to promote an environment that is inclusive of women, with 50% of training and job opportunities being allocated to them. 

To do so, it is collaborating with universities to attract female trainees, working closely with companies that prioritise gender balance and pay attention to equity in their recruitment practices, targeting women in its communication about training and career opportunities, and setting up mentoring programmes. 

The first project milestone comprised the development of an Action Plan that explores the e-mobility landscape in Ghana and Morocco, identifying key stakeholders, existing arrangements, and job creation potential, and including a detailed review of policies, regulations, and standards that encourage e-mobility. The Action Plan also illustrates the opportunities for future growth in e-mobility and highlights the technical capacity needs. Interviews with selected companies and academic institutions were conducted, with the purpose of identifying current industry needs and demands as well as future growth and training focus areas. Based on the results from the Action Plan that was finalised in April 2024, an initial list of 10 companies and 4 universities in Ghana and Morocco was proposed.  

Training programmes were subsequently developed in partnership with the selected companies and academic institutions (KNUST and AAMUSTED in Ghana, UM6P and UCA in Morocco). They cover the basics of electric mobility, the development of business models, and battery and electric vehicle maintenance.  

Between October and November 2024, an initial cohort of more than 200 recent graduates and final-year students took part in the first training cycle. The training sessions were held in both Ghana and Morocco, and comprised 40 hours of both in-person and online modules. 

The next cohort of students began their training programme in April 2025. At the end of the training, the participants will receive support to obtain a job at partner companies.  

The BOOST project is supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH as part of the Special Initiative “Decent Work for a Just Transition” of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).