Telecommunications and mobile money services provider Airtel Africa has committed to enhancing digital and technology skills training for 25,000 young Nigerians drawn from 80 local government areas. This initiative will be implemented under the three Million Technical Talents (3MTT) programme, a presidential mandate focused on training.
In a further move to empower youth, Airtel Africa unveiled ten scholarships for Nigerian students to pursue technology-focused courses at Plaksha University in India under the Airtel Africa Fellowship, an initiative driven by the Airtel Africa Foundation. These scholarships are designed to equip young Nigerians with the digital and innovation skills necessary for the future.
The effort to nurture Nigeria’s next generation of tech leaders was confirmed during a meeting with Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Airtel Africa chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal, and the company’s CEO Sunil Taldar. Bharti Mittal stated, “Nigeria remains a strategic market for Airtel Africa, and we are fully committed to support the government’s digital transformation agenda.” He also highlighted the Airtel-UNICEF Reimagine Education Programme, which has successfully integrated 1,260 schools and over 600,000 students into digital learning platforms such as the Nigerian Learning Passport (NLP).
Additionally, Airtel Africa welcomed the recent designation of telecom infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) and reiterated its mission to promote financial inclusion across Nigeria, particularly through its subsidiary, SmartCash PSB.
CEO Sunil Taldar added, “Airtel is deeply invested in Nigeria’s digital future. We are expanding our network, driving financial inclusion, and creating opportunities for the people of Nigeria through technology and innovation.”
