Mylène Flicka

Updated March 2026

Africa’s potential is held back by skill gaps

Africa is a global leader in entrepreneurship, with 22% of working-age adults pursuing new ventures, women twice as likely as the global average to start businesses and over 75% of young people aspiring to do so in the next five years. At the same time, this vibrant, largely informal entrepreneurial landscape contrasts with the talent needs of established firms, with 67% of African business leaders citing skills shortages as a key constraint on growth and competitiveness.

This scarcity of job-ready talent leads to reduced productivity, limited capacity to innovate and an increased burden of in-house training. At the same time, this employer-provided training is often flawed — professionals wanting to upskill complete long, theoretical modules that leave them unprepared for workplace challenges. In addition, this training is often tailored for western workers and does not seamlessly slot into an African cultural context.

Mylène Flicka was inspired and motivated every day by the wealth of talent and energy she saw in her home country, Benin. However, she was frustrated by how difficult it was to turn this raw potential into a thriving career. A natural problem-solver, she set her sights on tackling the issue. 

An online learning platform built by African talent, for African talent

At 18, Mylène had just completed a bachelor’s degree in diplomacy when she realized it was not the right path for her. Driven to build a solution that transformed young Africans’ potential into employability, she pivoted to content creation and launched a blog based around interviewing top businesspeople worldwide. Through this platform, Mylène hoped to inspire her fellow young Africans to turn innate talent into career success. In 2023, she spotted an opportunity to convert her burgeoning readership into customers via the creation of an ed-tech platform, going beyond simply showcasing role models to provide the practical upskilling necessary to follow in their footsteps.

Based in Benin, Irawo, which means star in Yoruba, equips professionals — from frontline staff to emerging leaders — with the skills they need to meet the demands of a fast-changing economy. Its platform combines practical upskilling with a peer-learning community and career support tools. Participants learn by doing, completing real-world tasks in subjects including technology, artificial intelligence, marketing and leadership. Programs are led by top African experts from fields such as marketing, technology and entrepreneurship. They provide the same role modeling Mylène had offered through her blog interviews but with added impact, along with specialized counsel based on their lived experience.

Participants pay an average of $45 USD to enroll in a course. They can then join a cohort aligned with their career goals and advance weekly through challenges, expert-led sessions and personalized feedback. Mylène has also found that a blend of live sessions and pre-recorded self-service videos is the sweet spot that ensures the highest course completion rates. The community spirit of learning with a cohort of peers also helps to keep learners motivated and engaged.

The most popular of Irawo’s 35 current programs are soft skills training for employees pursuing promotion, guidance on how to raise funds in the African startup ecosystem taught by a successful founder, and a marketing course where the creator of a top African fashion brand shares the secrets to her success. 

Its model creates a virtuous cycle: experts monetize their knowledge, while learners gain the in-demand expertise companies need. This peer-to-peer knowledge economy bridges the talent gap.

Irawo also works through partnerships. For example, foundations sponsor training programs to upskill young people. Businesses can access vetted talent through Irawo’s talent pool or build internal capacity by training their employees. Its solutions fuel business growth and are contributing to building a more resilient African workforce.

Tens of thousands of learners empowered — and growing fast

Trusted by organizations like Facebook, Canal+, and the Mastercard Foundation as well as governments, Irawo’s impact spans 18,000-plus learners with a strong alumni network. It has also recently introduced programs specifically targeted at women entrepreneurs to help them acquire the skills they need to grow and scale.

Mylène regularly receives glowing testimonials and emotional anecdotes from learners talking about how transformative their Irawo training has been, reporting multiplied revenue, surging self-confidence and securing their dream jobs. Every success story only adds to her determination to secure a prosperous future for the African continent. 

Note: Mylène Flicka’s real name is Fifamè Akrota. She prefers to go by her pseudonym.