Côte d’Ivoire has signed a five-year partnership with French public transport operator Keolis to train young people for jobs in urban transport, including opportunities linked to Abidjan’s future metro system, the government said on Thursday.
The agreement brings together the Ministry of National Education, Literacy and Technical Education and Keolis Côte d’Ivoire. It aims to align vocational training with employers’ needs and improve young people’s access to internships and potential jobs.
The agreement was signed in Abidjan by Jean-Louis Moulot, the minister delegate in charge of technical education, and Paulin Murhula, managing director of Keolis Côte d’Ivoire, under the chairmanship of Education Minister N’Guessan Koffi. Keolis Group Chief Executive Clément Michel also attended the ceremony.
The partnership focuses on three areas: developing professional skills, raising awareness of urban transport careers and expanding access to internships and employment opportunities.
Under the agreement, the ministry will mobilize teaching staff, promote transport-related careers and identify candidates whose skills match Keolis’ requirements. The company will provide technical expertise, help train teaching teams and support the implementation of training activities.
Keolis also plans to facilitate access to internships and recruitment opportunities, depending on its staffing needs. The agreement does not guarantee jobs for all participating students.
The initiative comes as Côte d’Ivoire prepares for new skills requirements in urban rail transport, particularly the operation and maintenance of Abidjan’s future metro network.
“We will adjust the training of young people to meet the needs of these new professions,” N’Guessan Koffi said, according to the government statement. He added that the partnership would build on discussions that began more than a year ago.
The government initially considered creating dedicated training institutions but opted instead to introduce specialized courses within existing schools.
Keolis Côte d’Ivoire managing director Paulin Murhula said the metro project would create new professional opportunities and require investment in training and the development of local expertise.
The company’s stated objective is to help Côte d’Ivoire build the skills needed to operate and maintain its transport infrastructure over the long term.
The agreement will run for five years and can be renewed by mutual consent.
It builds on an earlier partnership signed in July 2025 between Keolis Côte d’Ivoire and the Félix Houphouët-Boigny National Polytechnic Institute (INP-HB) to prepare engineering students for careers in urban rail transport. That initiative included specialized training and opportunities for professional internships.
Together, the initiatives reflect efforts to develop a local workforce capable of supporting the country’s transport infrastructure as it expands.
The impact of the latest agreement will depend on how quickly training programmes are introduced, how closely they match industry requirements and how many young people ultimately gain access to internships and jobs.