Airtel Africa Foundation Targets 100 Scholarships, Tech Hub in Nigeria

Emma Okonji

Airtel Africa Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Airtel Africa, which was established last year in July, has announced some of the benefits that Nigeria will derive from the foundation in 2026.
The foundation, whose mission is to promote Education, Environmental Protection, Financial Inclusion, and Digital Inclusion across Africa, has announced that it will offer 100 scholarships to Nigerian undergraduate students, from among the 200 scholarships planned for students across Africa and would also establish two tech hubs in Africa, one in Nigeria and the other in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Chairman, Airtel Africa Foundation, Dr. Segun Ogunsanya, who disclosed this at a press conference organised jointly by Airtel Nigeria and Airtel Africa Foundation in Lagos yesterday, also disclosed that the foundation, which is fully sponsored by Airtel Africa, would connect 2,500 public schools to the internet, renovate public schools, provide IT laboratories, smart classrooms, develop 100 digital communities and equip over 100,000 youth with IT skills across Africa in 2026.
According to him, Airtel Africa Foundation has already commenced assessment of partners that will develop the tech hub in Nigeria.

According to Ogunsanya, “Airtel Africa Foundation has become a catalyst for change in African communities in 14 different communities in Africa. It’s about how we touch the lives of people in our African communities. We’re empowering communities. We cannot transform communities, we’re just empowering them to do what they cannot do normally, and we are touching lives through scholarships.
As a foundation, we touch lives, we touch communities, and we don’t expect anything in return. That’s why we made a commitment that we want to touch at least 10 million lives by 2030.”
Currently, the foundation has given scholarships to two students from Nigeria that are studying in Indian university, Ogunsanya further said.

“Our 2030 vision is a transformed Africa where over 10 million lives are directly improved through our interventions. We are not just donating resources, we are building a pipeline of talent and fostering innovation to ensure the global digital revolution leaves no African behind. This is a strategic, measurable commitment to unlocking the continent’s demographic dividend, Ogunsanya added.

Also speaking at the event, CEO, Airtel Africa, Sunil Taldar, said: “We cannot thrive in a place that is not thriving. This understanding is the very reason the Airtel Africa Foundation was born. It is our vehicle to catalyse transformation, by systematically investing in the pillars that underpin a resilient and dynamic society. We have remained dedicated to transforming lives both as a business imperative as well as our overarching philosophy. For us, helping to connect the unconnected, banking the unbanked and enabling businesses and economies to thrive are the three most significant objectives of our business.”
CEO, Airtel Nigeria, Dinesh Balsingh, said: “The foundation carries forward our tradition of social investment and multiplies its reach with a sharper focus, a stronger platform and a groundbreaking mission. For the first time, the world will see in one frame the projects we are delivering across the continent.”