NEC conducted a training program at the Japan-Senegal Vocational and Technical Training Center (hereinafter CFPT-SJ) aimed at knowledge transfer in digital technologies.
NEC introduced its agricultural solutions (CropScope, e-Voucher) and co-creation initiatives in the global health sector, through demonstrations and hands-on sessions. Agriculture and health are key areas where the Senegalese government is focusing efforts for national development, and those two areas are also highlighted in the Japanese government's Country Assistance Policy for the Republic of Senegal.
We hope the training helped participants recognize the potential of digital technology to drive national development and open up opportunities for their own futures.

About Senegal

The Republic of Senegal (hereinafter Senegal) is a country located in the northwest of the African continent, covering an area of approximately 197,000 square kilometers (about half the size of Japan) with a population of about 18.5 million.
It is globally known as the finish line for the grueling 12,000-kilometer motor race, the Paris-Dakar Rally, and as a soccer powerhouse.

MoC signed in TICAD9

In August 2025, at the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) held in Yokohama, NEC signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) on cooperating in Senegal's vocational training sector with the Government of Senegal, CFPT-SJ, JICA, Toyota Tsusho, Daikin, Toda Corporation, and Yamaha Motor.

Based on this MoC, each company has committed to supporting industrial human resource development by providing training to CFPT-SJ. As its first initiative, NEC conducted training locally in November 2025.

NEC, Senegalese Government, CFPT-SJ, JICA, and Four Japanese Companies Sign Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Senegal's Vocational Training Sector (August 21, 2025): Press Release | NEC

About the Senegal-Japan Vocational and Technical Training Center (CFPT-SJ)

CFPT-SJ is a vocational training school established in the capital city Dakar in 1984 with grant aid from JICA.
It offers a three-year course for junior high school graduates and a two-year course for those seeking to acquire more advanced skills. While initially focused on training industrial personnel, it has now expanded its scope to include digital technology fields such as IT, AI, and web applications. As of April 2025, it has approximately 1,400 enrolled students and around 7,000 graduates. CFPT-SJ has accepted trainees not only from Senegal but also from 17 African countries, with a total of over 1,000 trainees, making it a core vocational training institution in the West African region.
"I was surprised by its high recognition within Senegal," said the person in charge of this matter.
"Local drivers and other locals we met told us that everyone in the area knows it as 'Senegal-Japon'."

Training Overview

As a result of implementing training programs aimed at knowledge transfer in digital technologies, approximately 100 students and faculty members participated, primarily from the IT, AI, and Web Application departments.

In the first part covering the agricultural sector, we introduced NEC's agricultural solutions (CropScope, e-Voucher) through demonstrations and hands-on sessions.
CropScope is an agricultural ICT platform that aggregates information such as the location, size, and crop types of fields managed by farmers, to build a farmer database. This enables growth monitoring and supports field inspection tasks for agricultural extension officers. Using actual fields in Senegal as an example, we demonstrated the functions of CropScope, and the value this solution delivers.
e-Voucher is a solution that uses ID cards and smartphones to visualize and to keep records of the distribution of subsidies and agricultural supplies. Students held actual ID cards and a smartphone in their hands, sensing the significant value these small devices deliver.

In the second part on health, we introduced two use cases, one for a maternal and child nutrition application aimed at strengthening public health nurses' capabilities, and another for an NCD (non-communicable disease) consultation support application. Before implementation, a common reality during pregnant women's regular checkups was that "some people didn't know the correct way to measure weight." While this was just one example, challenges encountered in the field surprised the students while also helping them grasp the significant impact digital technology can deliver.

"There were many questions during the Q&A session at the end. The CFPT-SJ students all gave the impression of being highly intellectually curious and diligent," said the person in charge.

NEC's Future Initiatives

Based on the MoC signed at TICAD9, the successful completion of the actual training program was highly significant and received strong praise from local stakeholders.
A teacher at CFPT-SJ commented, "It was extremely beneficial that NEC's training allowed us to learn IT, AI, and web applications—previously studied as separate specialized fields—in an integrated manner using real-world examples."
The NEC Group will continue to contribute to solving social issues while expanding its technologies and solutions in Senegal.