The Airtel Africa Foundation has committed $6.2 million towards advancing education, digital inclusion, financial inclusion, and environmental sustainability initiatives across Africa, impacting millions of learners and communities during its first full year of operations.
The milestone was revealed in the Foundation’s inaugural annual report, which highlighted significant achievements under its Financial Inclusion, Education, Environmental Sustainability, and Digital Inclusion (FEED) pillars.
Education emerged as the Foundation’s largest area of investment, underscoring its commitment to improving access to quality learning opportunities and digital resources across the continent.
Among its landmark achievements was the successful connection of 1,028 schools to the internet through its partnership with UNICEF, increasing the total number of connected schools to 3,296 across 13 African countries. The initiative has provided digital access to more than two million students and nearly 39,000 teachers, while 64 zero-rated educational platforms enabled over 11 million learners to access online educational content free of charge.
The Foundation also strengthened learning environments through its School Adoption Programme, fully renovating seven public schools while upgrading an additional 43 schools. The initiative combines infrastructure development, digital connectivity, and student support programmes to improve educational outcomes.
To support the development of Africa’s future technology workforce, the Airtel Africa Tech Fellowship awarded 257 full university scholarships to students from Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Uganda. The scholarships focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines aimed at nurturing the next generation of African innovators and technology leaders.
Beyond education, the Foundation reported that 30,530 young people and women benefited from digital skills training programmes delivered in collaboration with governments, development agencies, and private-sector partners.
Speaking on the Foundation’s mission, Chairman Segun Ogunsanya said the organisation was created to address inequalities in access to opportunities across Africa.
“The Airtel Africa Foundation was established to help dismantle barriers caused by unequal access to opportunity. While talent and ambition are abundant, access to education, digital tools, and economic participation remains uneven. Through partnerships and our continental reach, we are committed to investing in communities furthest from opportunity,” he stated.
Ogunsanya noted that the Foundation remains focused on delivering measurable impact and driving long-term systemic change through its interventions.
Looking ahead, the Foundation plans to expand its School Adoption Programme to more than 80 schools, increase scholarship awards to over 600 students, provide free internet connectivity to an additional 2,000 schools, and broaden digital skills and financial inclusion programmes in underserved communities.
“As a Foundation, we are positioned to deliver skills development and lasting change at the individual and household level, while partnering with governments to unlock Africa’s economic transformation,” Ogunsanya added.
The Foundation’s growing investments reflect Airtel Africa’s broader commitment to empowering communities, bridging the digital divide, and supporting sustainable socio-economic development across the continent.
