By 
The African Association of Higher Education Financing Agencies (AAHEFA) has called for accelerated digital transformation of higher education financing systems across Africa to improve efficiency, transparency and access to student funding.
AAHEFA President and Chief Executive Officer of Zambia’s Higher Education Loans and Scholarships Board, Dr. John Machayi, said rising demand for higher education required financing systems that were sustainable, inclusive and resilient.
Machayi was speaking on Monday at the opening of the 6th AAHEFA International Conference on Financing Higher Education in Africa in Accra, Ghana.
He said technology could improve the entire financing value chain, from student applications and loan disbursement to repayment and recovery, while strengthening decision-making by public institutions.
“The higher education financing systems of tomorrow cannot be built entirely with the tools and approaches of yesterday,” Machayi said.
He cautioned, however, that technology alone would not resolve structural challenges and said digital reforms needed strong governance frameworks, cybersecurity, data protection and capable institutions.
Machayi urged African financing agencies to use the conference to share practical solutions and strengthen partnerships, calling for a shift “from conversation to collaboration, and from collaboration to practical action.”
Ghanaian Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Clement Abas Apak, also urged African countries to move beyond dialogue and implement reforms that would enable the continent to realise its potential.
He said digital transformation should not be treated as optional but as a necessity for governments and institutions.
“As digital transformation is going on please lets ensure that we are ethical, transparent and accountable for it,” Apak said.
The host of the conference and Chief Executive Officer of Ghana’s Student Loans Trust Fund, Dr. Saajida Shiraz, said the two-day meeting would focus on governance and institutional continuity, sustainability of student loan schemes, artificial intelligence and predictive analytics in student financing, and intercontinental migration.
Shiraz said technological advances could make access to tertiary education more equitable and inclusive while strengthening the sustainability and resilience of higher education financing systems.
“I encourage all the participants to listen to different perspectives, share experiences, ask difficult questions, explore practical solutions, and where opportunities exist, identify areas for institutional collaborations,” Shiraz said.
The conference is being held under the theme: “Digital Transformation in Higher Education Financing: The Role of Technological Advancements in Ensuring Sustainable, Inclusive and Resilient Higher Education Financing Systems in Africa.”
Delegates from across Africa are attending the Accra meeting to share approaches to digital loan management, risk assessment and data-driven policymaking aimed at expanding student access to financing while protecting public resources.
Organisers said the conference outcomes would inform policy recommendations for AAHEFA member agencies on modernising financing systems and using technology to respond to rising demand for higher education.
The meeting brings together government officials, higher education financing agencies, development partners and other stakeholders.
Comments