Elegbede Abiodun
Airtel Africa Foundation has inducted the first Nigerian cohort of the Airtel Africa Tech Fellowship that offers fully paid scholarships for students pursuing undergraduate courses in science, technology, engineering and mathematics across the continent.
During a ceremony held at Airtel Nigeria headquarters in Lagos, Airtel Africa Foundation’s Chairman, Dr Segun Ogunsanya, alongside Airtel Nigeria’s CEO, Dinesh Balsingh, presented the full-ride scholarship awards to 70 students from universities across Nigeria.
The undergraduates studying technology courses, were drawn from the University of Lagos, Obafemi Awolowo University, the University of Benin, Tai Solarin University of Education, the University of Ilorin, Ahmadu Bello University, and the University of Nigeria.
Selected from thousands of applicants through an independently managed process, which took nearly six months, these fellows are beneficiaries of Airtel Africa Foundation’s continentwide financial aid programme, which covers tuition, laptop computers, living expenses, and essential learning resources. The Nigerian cohort joins a prestigious network of Airtel Africa Foundation fellows currently studying in Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, and India.
In his address, Dr. Ogunsanya, emphasised the need for initiatives such as the Airtel Africa Foundation’s undergraduate tech scholarship for the future of the continent.
The Airtel Africa Foundation Chairman said, “True legacy is not measured by the awards we win or the volume of SIM cards we sell; it is measured by the lives we save, the people we feed, and the students we support when the line between success and failure is at its thinnest. At the Airtel Africa Foundation, we believe that lifting people out of poverty is the ultimate benchmark of a great company. Today, we are writing that legacy by tilting the balance in favour of the brilliant but underserved, ensuring that the fourth industrial revolution, driven by AI and Data Science is built by African talent for the African continent.”
Dr Ogunsanya further revealed that this fellowship, executed through Airtel Nigeria, is designed to bridge the gap where funding, skills, and opportunity often fail to meet. In addition to the N500,000 yearly budget for the fellows’ four-year or five-year courses, each fellow would be integrated into a structured support system for academic guidance and career mentorship, intended to ultimately transition students from the classroom to the global tech workforce.
Addressing the students, Mr Balsingh emphasised that youth development is a strategic imperative for Airtel.
He said, “At Airtel Nigeria, we view youth development as essential nation-building. When young people succeed, innovation accelerates, and social stability improves. By connecting these brilliant scholars to knowledge, skills, and confidence, we are fulfilling our core mission to connect people to opportunity. To our recipients: you earned your place here through merit and discipline. You are now ambassadors of excellence, and we expect your leadership to be defined by your conduct as you help shape a more inclusive digital future for Nigeria.”
The initiative underscores a broader commitment to technology education, youth development, and Nigeria’s digital economy. By aligning academic excellence with industry requirements, Airtel Africa Foundation and Airtel Nigeria continue to demonstrate their dedication to skills as the new currency in a rapidly evolving global market.
