Codar Raises $1.5M to Expand AI Training Across Africa

In Short

• Codar raised $1.5 million to grow its AI and digital skills training across Africa.
• The round includes equity and debt, meaning some money buys ownership and some is a repayable loan.
• The company plans upgrades to online learning, more physical hubs, and more scholarships.

What Happened

Codar has secured a $1.5 million funding round to scale its technology education programs, with a bigger focus on artificial intelligence training. Codar says the funding is a mix of equity and debt financing.

The company is a portfolio venture of KWE4 Africa Venture Studio. It plans to use the new capital to improve its online learning experience and open additional learning hubs, which are physical centers where learners can attend classes and work with peers.

Codar’s broader curriculum includes software development, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and data analytics. These are practical job skills that map directly to roles like software engineer, security analyst, cloud support specialist, and data analyst.

Codar says it serves more than 5,000 active learners and has reached over 70,000 students through training programs and other education initiatives. The company also said it will broaden scholarship opportunities, with an emphasis on underserved communities.

The team was founded by Sokefun David, Williams Olusegun, Oduoye John, and Asaolu Emmanuel. Codar’s approach is hands-on and project-based, meaning learners build real projects and portfolios, similar to how developers show proof of work when applying for jobs.

Why It Matters

Africa’s AI talent pipeline is becoming a constraint for startups and larger companies hiring for machine learning and AI engineering roles. More training capacity can help, but only if it stays affordable and tied to employable outcomes.

Codar’s plan to add mentorship, industry collaborations, multilingual learning options, and certification pathways signals a push beyond short courses. If executed well, this can make it easier for learners to move from training to paid work, including remote roles in the global tech market.