Airtel Africa Foundation has disclosed that it invested $6.2 million in education, digital inclusion, financial inclusion and environmental sustainability initiatives across Africa in its first full year of operations, reaching millions of learners and communities.
The disclosure was contained in its inaugural annual report, which detailed activities under its Financial Inclusion, Education, Environmental Sustainability and Digital Inclusion (FEED) pillars during the review period.
The report showed that education received the largest share of the Foundation’s investments, underscoring its drive to expand access to quality learning and digital resources across the continent.
A major highlight was the connection of 1,028 schools to the internet in partnership with UNICEF, raising the total number of connected schools to 3,296 across 13 African countries.
The initiative has provided digital access to more than two million learners and nearly 39,000 teachers, while 64 zero-rated digital platforms have enabled over 11 million learners to access educational content free of charge.
The Foundation also said it improved learning environments through its School Adoption Programme, under which seven public schools were fully renovated, while 43 others are currently undergoing upgrades combining infrastructure development, digital connectivity and student support services.
To strengthen Africa’s technology talent pipeline, the Airtel Africa Tech Fellowship awarded 257 full university scholarships to students in Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, with a focus on STEM disciplines.
The Foundation said 30,530 young people and women also benefited from digital skills training programmes delivered in partnership with governments, multilateral agencies and private-sector partners.
Chairman of Airtel Africa Foundation, Segun Ogunsanya, said the organisation was created to address inequality in access to opportunity across Africa.
“The Airtel Africa Foundation was established to help dismantle barriers caused by unequal access to opportunity,” Ogunsanya said, adding that “access to education, digital tools and economic participation remains uneven across the continent.”
He said the Foundation was increasingly focused on measurable impact and long-term systemic change.
Looking ahead, the Foundation plans to expand its School Adoption Programme to over 80 schools, increase scholarship awards to more than 600 students, connect an additional 2,000 schools to the internet, and scale up digital and financial inclusion programmes for underserved communities.
Ogunsanya reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to working with governments and development partners to drive inclusive economic growth across Africa.