Dar es Salaam. The Airtel Africa Foundation has committed $6.2 million to programmes aimed at expanding education, digital inclusion, financial inclusion and environmental sustainability across Africa, according to its inaugural annual report released last week.
The report, which marks the foundation’s first full year of operations, highlights investments made under its Financial Inclusion, Education, Environmental Sustainability and Digital Inclusion (FEED) framework, with education accounting for the largest share of funding.
Among the key achievements, the Foundation connected 1,028 schools to the internet through a partnership with the UNICEF, increasing the total number of connected schools to 3,296 across 13 African countries. The initiative has benefited more than two million learners and nearly 39,000 teachers.
The Foundation also supported access to learning resources through 64 zero-rated digital platforms, enabling more than 11 million students to access educational content free of charge.
In efforts to improve learning environments, seven public schools were fully renovated while a further 43 are undergoing upgrades under the School Adoption Programme. The initiative combines infrastructure development with digital access and broader student support programmes.
The report further shows that 257 full university scholarships were awarded through the Airtel Africa Tech Fellowship programme in Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. The scholarships are aimed at expanding access to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education while nurturing future technology leaders.
Additionally, 30,530 young people and women received training through digital skills programmes implemented in partnership with governments, multilateral organisations and private-sector stakeholders.
Speaking on the report, Airtel Africa Foundation chairman Segun Ogunsanya said the organisation was established to address barriers that limit access to opportunities across the continent.
“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 said.
According to the report, the Foundation is increasingly focusing on measurable outcomes and long-term impact, with plans to expand successful programmes in the coming year.
Its targets include extending the School Adoption Programme to more than 80 schools, increasing scholarships to over 600 young people, connecting an additional 2,000 schools to free internet services and broadening digital skills and financial inclusion initiatives in underserved communities.
Mr Ogunsanya said the Foundation would continue working with governments and development partners to support skills development and contribute to Africa’s economic transformation.
“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,” he said.
