Airtel Africa Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Airtel Africa plc, the pan-African telecommunications provider and a subsidiary of Bharti Airtel, the Indian telecom giant led by billionaire Sunil Bharti Mittal, invested $6.2 million across education, financial inclusion, environmental sustainability, and digital access initiatives during its first year of operations, with education receiving the largest allocation as the organization expands its social investment footprint across Africa.

The investment supported internet connectivity, digital learning access, school infrastructure upgrades, scholarships, and skills development programs across multiple African markets, reflecting growing private-sector participation in addressing education and digital access gaps across the continent.

Education receives largest share of funding

Africa’s education and digital inclusion agenda is becoming increasingly tied to economic competitiveness, workforce readiness, and long-term productivity growth. Education emerged as the Foundation’s largest investment focus during the reporting period. Through its partnership with UNICEF, the Foundation connected 1,028 schools to the internet, increasing the cumulative number of connected schools to 3,296 across 13 African countries.

The initiative reached more than 2 million learners and nearly 39,000 teachers, strengthening access to digital education infrastructure in underserved communities.

Complementing this effort, 64 zero-rated digital education platforms enabled over 11 million learners to access educational content at no cost, reducing barriers associated with connectivity and affordability. Targets include expanding the School Adoption Programme to more than 80 schools, increasing scholarship awards to over 600 youth, extending free internet connectivity to an additional 2,000 schools, and broadening digital skills and financial inclusion initiatives to underserved communities.

“As a Foundation, we are positioned to deliver skills development and lasting change at the individual and household level, while partnering with governments to unlock Africa’s economic transformation,” Ogunsanya added.

School infrastructure and digital access expansion

Beyond connectivity, the Foundation expanded investments into school infrastructure through its School Adoption Programme.

The initiative delivered full renovations to seven public schools, while an additional 43 schools are currently undergoing upgrades.

The program combines physical infrastructure improvements with internet access and broader student development initiatives aimed at improving long-term educational outcomes.

Scholarships and digital skills development

The Foundation also expanded access to higher education and technology skills. According to Segun Ogunsanya, Chair of Airtel Africa Foundation, the organization was created to address structural barriers that limit access to opportunity across African communities.

“The Airtel Africa Foundation was established to help dismantle barriers caused by unequal access to opportunity. While talent and ambition are abundant, access to education, digital tools, and economic participation remains uneven. Through partnerships and our continental reach, we are committed to investing in communities furthest from opportunity,” he said.

The Foundation said future programs will increasingly focus on measurable outcomes and long-term systems transformation rather than short-term interventions.

Foundation targets long-term systems change

Airtel Africa, present in 14 Sub-Saharan countries, remains a major telecom force with a growing digital and financial services footprint. Its parent company, Bharti Airtel, led by billionaire Sunil Bharti Mittal, ranked 104th on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index with a $24.3 billion net worth, ranks as the world’s third-largest mobile operator by subscribers.

For the Airtel Africa Tech Fellowship, 257 full university scholarships were awarded across Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Uganda.

The scholarship program focuses on STEM disciplines—Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics—with the objective of strengthening Africa’s future technology workforce.

Alongside scholarship support, 30,530 youth and women received digital skills training through programs delivered in partnership with national institutions, multilateral organizations, and private-sector stakeholders.

While governments continue to invest in public infrastructure and broadband expansion, private-sector participation is emerging as a complementary funding channel to accelerate digital access and reduce inequality. Initiatives that combine school infrastructure, internet access, scholarships, and skills development are increasingly viewed as strategic investments capable of improving labor-market participation and supporting broader economic transformation across African markets.