The global appetite for Generative AI (GenAI) education is reaching unprecedented heights, with Asia and Africa emerging as the fastest-growing regions in this digital learning revolution.
According to a recent report by Coursera on its “Global Skills Report 2025”, enrollments in GenAI courses have surged impressively driven by increased accessibility, rising interest in AI-driven skills, and the urgency to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving tech landscape.
In 2023, early adopters showed strong interest in the technology, with enrollment in GenAI courses on Coursera reaching a rate of one person per minute. By 2024, this figure had surged to eight enrollments per minute, reflecting growing awareness of GenAI’s potential.
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The momentum has only accelerated in 2025. GenAI course enrollments on Coursera have seen a remarkable 195% year-over-year growth. To date, the platform has recorded over 8 million enrollments in GenAI content, with an average of 12 new learners signing up every minute across nearly 700 available GenAI courses.
This rapid adoption is driven in large part by shifting employer expectations. A striking 94% of employers now report being likely to hire candidates with GenAI credentials, and 75% even prefer candidates with GenAI skills over more experienced applicants lacking such expertise.
In line with this demand, roles such as AI and Machine Learning Specialists are projected to grow by as much as 40% over the next four years. As such, proficiency in GenAI fundamentals, including prompt engineering and large language model (LLM) application, has become essential for those looking to remain competitive in the evolving job market.
Regionally, Asia Pacific (APAC) leads in GenAI adoption, powered by countries like India, which holds the highest number of GenAI course enrollments globally. The region’s employers place strong emphasis on job readiness, with 95% believing that industry-recognized micro-credentials provide graduates with immediately applicable skills more than any other region in the world.
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is also advancing rapidly in digital education. The region now boasts more than 8 million Coursera learners, a 20% year-over-year increase, making it the fastest-growing learner base globally. A significant factor in this growth is the high rate of mobile learning adoption (65%), which has helped extend digital education to broader and more diverse populations. This trend supports the region’s ongoing efforts toward inclusive digital transformation.
Botswana, for example, recorded a 16% year-over-year increase in its Coursera learner base, growing from 85,000 in 2024 to 99,000 in 2025. Women now make up 50% of Coursera learners in the country, demonstrating progress toward gender parity in digital upskilling. Despite its relatively low ranking on the AI Maturity Index (#85), Botswana has seen a 178% year-over-year increase in GenAI course enrollments, indicating growing interest in future-focused skillsets.
In South Africa, where 93% of organizations are running active AI programs, the country is leveraging widespread mobile connectivity and robust infrastructure to expand digital capabilities across its economy.
Meanwhile, Nigeria stands out with a young, tech-savvy population 70% of its citizens are under the age of 35, and bold initiatives like the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) program. These efforts underscore the country’s strategic investment in workforce development. Notably, GenAI course enrollments in Nigeria rose 98% year-over-year on Coursera, signaling strong national interest in AI, while demand for cybersecurity and network-related skills is expected to grow by 87% by 2030.
Together, these trends illustrate how GenAI is reshaping digital education and workforce readiness across the globe, with regions like APAC and SSA making significant strides in closing the skills gap and preparing their populations for the future of work.