Airtel Africa to connect 5,000 schools to free Internet by 2027
Airtel Africa says it will connect 5,000 schools across its African operating countries to the internet by 2027, through a partnership between its philanthropic arm, Airtel Africa Foundation, and UNICEF.
The $57 million partnership, launched in 2021, has so far connected 3,296 schools, reaching over 2 million learners and about 40,000 teachers. It has also zero-rated 64 digital learning platforms, giving more than 11 million users free access to educational content.
Airtel Africa CEO Sunil Taldar announced the 2027 target during a visit to St. Monica's Girls School in Lusaka, Zambia, one of 300 schools already connected in the country.
"Students are accessing best-in-class education from the curriculum developed by UNICEF in partnership with various Ministries of Education and provided through Airtel's connectivity," Taldar said, adding that the programme also includes teacher training on digital tools.
St. Monica's Headmistress, Sr Matilda Soloko, said students at the school have used the learning portal to intensify their studies since being connected in the programme's early phase.
UNICEF's Country Representative for Zambia, Dr Saja Farooq Abdullah, said the initiative is helping close the digital divide by letting children learn at their own pace, including reviewing materials and completing homework independently.
Zambia's Director of Secondary Education, Yvonne Mwemba Chuulu, said the partnership has enabled blended learning in schools, combining classroom teaching with digital tools, and noted that students can also access the portal from home.
The School Connection programme operates in 13 countries: Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Airtel Africa Foundation works across four areas: financial inclusion, education, environmental sustainability and digital inclusion.
