Airtel commits $57m to boost education in Africa

Airtel Africa, a mobile network operator, and mobile money service provider, with a presence in 14 countries across Africa, has restated its commitment of $57 million to boost education in Africa.

Segun Ogunsanya, CEO of Airtel Africa plc, made this commitment at the opening of a two-day conference in Nairobi, Kenya, last week where executives of Airtel Africa and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) convened to discuss the implementation of the landmark partnership across 13 out of Airtel’s 14 markets. Airtel Africa committed to investing $57 million into educational programmes during the five-year partnership with UNICEF.

“The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on education in Africa led to school closures and charged the participants to continue to work closely with stakeholders, especially the governments and educational authorities, to ensure that children, especially vulnerable children in remote communities, are given the opportunity to learn,” he said.

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Ogunsanya acknowledged the challenges faced in the implementation of the partnership in some of the 13 African countries and urged the governments of the affected countries to support this important initiative.

As a leading telecommunications company in the region, Airtel Africa is using its unique insights to stand up for the children of Africa’s right to education and equality of opportunity. Ogunsanya reiterated Airtel Africa’s corporate purpose of transforming lives and pledged that the organisation will continue to champion the quest for bridging the digital divide and promoting financial inclusion.

Lieke van de Wiel, deputy regional director of UNICEF commenting on the Airtel Africa/UNICEF partnership said that as an important collaboration of private and public sectors, aimed at putting children at the heart of their learning, and changing the narrative in education after years of loss during the Covid-19 pandemic.

She commended Airtel Africa for coming on board and encouraged the participants to seize the moment by sharing experiences and exchanging ideas and learnings on how best to implement the initiative.