Airtel Africa Boosts Digital and Technical Education with $500,000 Scholarships for African Students

Airtel Africa Foundation has announced a $500,000 investment in scholarships to support the education of 10 African students pursuing Bachelor of Science degrees in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. The students will study at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) in Zanzibar, as part of the foundation’s commitment to advancing digital and technical education across Africa.

The initiative, known as the ‘Airtel Africa Fellowship Programme,’ aims to provide educational opportunities to students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds across 14 African countries. These include Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Gabon, Madagascar, and Seychelles.

The selected students, recognized as 'Airtel Africa Fellows', will have their full college tuition of $12,000 covered for the 4-year program. Additionally, the fellowship will provide living expenses, ensuring that the students can fully focus on their academic and professional development.

Lela Mohamed Mussa, Zanzibar’s Minister of Education and Vocational Training, praised the program, stating that IITM Zanzibar is creating a strong foundation for technical education in the region through this partnership.

This move by Airtel Africa underscores its commitment to fostering digital literacy and technical expertise across the continent, particularly in the fields of data science and artificial intelligence.