Airtel, UNICEF to Connect 100,000 Children to Digital Education in Nigeria

Emma Okonji

Airtel Africa, a leading provider of telecommunications and mobile money services with a presence in 14 countries in Africa, is set to rollout a digital learning initiative in Nigeria, in partnership with UNICEF that will connect100,000 children to the Learning Passport, an online resource, over the next five years. With over 50 million subscribers, Nigeria is Airtel Africa’s biggest market.

Airtel Africa’s Group CEO, Segun Ogunsanya said t100 schools would be connected annually in the country as part of the five-year, $57 million partnership with UNICEF signed in October 2021.The partnership aims to provide access to education to at least one million disadvantaged children, mostly in rural and hard-to-reach communities across 13 of its 14 country operations in Africa.

Announcing the rollout during the Nigeria International Economic Partnership Forum hosted by Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assemble in New York, Ogunsanya explained that Airtel Africa’s support for the initiative was informed by a sense of responsibility for, and commitment to, the future of the continent.

“This partnership is designed to provide zero-rated access for both students and teachers to educational websites and other resources. This, on the one hand, will bridge the digital divide between the rich and poor and, on the other hand, enable African children catch up with the rest of the world, after the disruptions caused by Covid-19. We firmly believe that children are the future and education is the best guarantee for ensuring that this future is in safe and knowledgeable hands,” he said.