SankoLabs, a Fort Worth-based nonprofit, is broadening its Remote Ready Program to talent platforms and employers beyond its original referral partner. The program, which has been running cohorts since August, is designed to prepare young Africans for global remote work by focusing on readiness and evidence rather than just skills training.
The expansion comes as employers increasingly turn to remote talent to fill gaps, but face high failure rates. According to the source, between 30 and 60 percent of offshore remote hires fail to pass probation, often due to non-technical reasons such as poor asynchronous communication or lack of independent work habits. Additionally, while Nigeria's national digital skills initiative has trained over 135,000 people, placement rates remain low. SankoLabs aims to bridge that gap by assessing and documenting candidates' readiness for remote work.
The Remote Ready Program is a four-week course for adults referred by talent platforms and hiring companies. It centers on a Remote Readiness Simulation that evaluates candidates at intake and near completion, measuring growth in areas like asynchronous communication, digital presence, and independent work. Graduates receive an evidence bundle that includes an optimized LinkedIn profile, work artifacts, and a simulation report. "We are not a placement company," said Michael Omokoh, Co-Founder and CEO. "We get you ready for it, and we give you the evidence so you can go and get it yourself." Omokoh, who lives in Fort Worth and built the SankoLabs platform, co-founded the organization with Peter Sey, who oversees curriculum and cohorts from Pocatello, Idaho. Both have personal ties to Africa and met over a decade ago in Ghana.
For HR vendors, this development signals a potential shift in how remote hiring risk is managed. By providing documented evidence of readiness, SankoLabs aims to reduce the risk for employers and improve job outcomes for young Africans. Talent platforms and staffing firms that partner with SankoLabs could gain access to a pipeline of candidates who are not only trained but also proven ready for remote work. This could lead to higher retention rates and lower turnover costs for employers hiring remotely. SankoLabs is actively seeking partnerships with talent platforms, staffing firms, and companies hiring remotely; partner enquiries can be made through https://www.sankolabs.com/partners.
In addition to the Remote Ready Program, SankoLabs plans to launch an eight-week Youth Bootcamp for ages 16 to 18 in Ghana and Nigeria, starting with a phone-first cohort. This initiative aims to equip the next generation with digital skills early, as only about 35 percent of adults in Nigeria and 28 percent in Ghana have basic digital skills. The Youth Bootcamp is funded by donors, with contributions supporting curriculum, data stipends, and mentorship; details are available at https://www.sankolabs.com/#support.
"The talent was never the question," Omokoh says. "The proof was. That is the part we built." By focusing on evidence of readiness, SankoLabs could transform remote work opportunities across Africa and provide HR vendors with a new model for assessing and onboarding remote talent. As remote work continues to grow, solutions that mitigate hiring risk and improve success rates will be increasingly valuable to employers and the vendors that serve them.
