Airtel Africa Foundation Grants Fully Paid Scholarships to 70 Nigerian Students in Tech Fields
Airtel Africa Foundation has inaugurated the first Nigerian cohort of its Airtel Africa Tech Fellowship, a program offering fully paid scholarships to students pursuing undergraduate degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) across Africa.
During a ceremony held at Airtel Nigeria headquarters in Lagos, Airtel Africa Foundation’s Chairman, Dr. Segun Ogunsanya, along with Airtel Nigeria’s CEO, Dinesh Balsingh, presented full-ride scholarship awards to 70 students from universities nationwide.
The selected undergraduates, majoring in technology-related courses, hail from institutions such as 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.
Chosen from thousands of applicants through an independently managed process that spanned nearly six months, these fellows are beneficiaries of Airtel Africa Foundation’s continentwide financial aid program. The scholarship covers tuition, laptops, living expenses, and essential learning resources. The Nigerian cohort joins a distinguished network of Airtel Africa Foundation fellows studying in Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, and India.
Expressing his thoughts during the event, Dr. Ogunsanya emphasized the importance of initiatives like the Airtel Africa Foundation’s undergraduate tech scholarship for the continent’s future.
The Airtel Africa Foundation Chairman stated, “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.”
He further explained that this fellowship, implemented through Airtel Nigeria, aims to bridge gaps in funding, skills, and opportunity. In addition to the annual N500,000 budget for each fellow’s four- or five-year course, participants will benefit from a structured support system that provides academic guidance and career mentorship, ultimately preparing students to join the global tech workforce.
Addressing the scholarship recipients, Mr. Balsingh highlighted the strategic importance of youth development for Airtel.
He remarked, “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.”
This initiative reinforces Airtel’s broader commitment to advancing technology education, youth development, and Nigeria’s digital economy. By aligning academic excellence with industry needs, Airtel Africa Foundation and Airtel Nigeria demonstrate their dedication to cultivating skills as the new currency in today’s rapidly changing global landscape.