In the second quarter of 2025, youth unemployment in South Africa rose by 39 000, bringing the total to 4.9 million. This means nearly half of young South Africans who want to work cannot find jobs. Against this backdrop, and with the digital skills gap widening, initiatives that equip young people with tools to build careers in the tech industry are both vital and inspiring.
This year, more than 33 000 young people graduated as full-stack developers from the FNB App Academy, a fully funded, world-class nine-week coding programme.
The initiative equips aspiring tech entrepreneurs with cutting-edge skills to develop full-scale apps and websites, enabling them to enter the workforce or establish themselves as freelance developers.
In 2025, it reached a new milestone with 217 000 learners signing up, making it Africa’s largest free digital skills initiative of its kind.
Of those who enrolled, 33 000 successfully completed the rigorous curriculum, which covers app development fundamentals such as coding, programming languages, frameworks, and both front-end and back-end development. In addition, 10graduates will be placed in FNB’s FirstJob programme, which offers young people valuable work experience through a 12-month fixed-term contract, combined with learnerships and skills training to boost employability.
“We are incredibly proud of what the FNB App Academy has achieved. More than just teaching coding, the programme empowers young South Africans with the digital skills, confidence, and tools to build careers, create apps, and launch sustainable businesses,” says Janis Robson, Business Development Head at FNB. “With over 33 000 graduates this year alone, the Academy reflects FNB’s commitment to empowering youth, bridging the digital skills gap, and opening doors to economic opportunities. It proves that, with the right support, our young people are ready to drive South Africa’s digital future.”
One such example is Simphiwe Radebe, who joined the FNB App Academy with only a matric qualification and no prior software development experience. Through the technical skills he gained, Radebe secured a role as a full stack developer within the FirstRand Group.
His journey, along with many others, reflects how the Academy is opening real pathways into the digital economy and transforming lives through access to quality education.
The FNB App Academy forms part of a broader ecosystem that includes:
The FNB Hackathon in October, where thousands of developers come together to solve real-world problems in an intensive 72-hour sprint. This is Africa’s biggest hackathon, taking place from 24–27 October 2025.
The FNB App of the Year Awards will take place December 2025, this an annual celebration of the best mobile and digital applications in South Africa.