Telecommunications Group, Airtel Africa, has announced plans to build a tech hub each in two of its operating countries, Nigeria and Democratic Republic of Congo, as it seeks to improve digital skills across its 14 countries where it operates.
Airtel Africa Foundation CEO, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, disclosed this on Tuesday during a World Press Conference held in Lagos.
Tech hubs are designed to foster the growth of tech-savvy talent and provide resources for startups in areas like fintech, software development, and digital solutions.
According to Ogunsanya, Nigeria, as one of the most important and the largest market of Airtel Africa, is strategic to Airtel’s vision of improving 10 million lives by 2030 and building the tech hub is one of many ways the company will be touching the lives of the people.
Building tech talent in Nigeria
Ogunsanya added that the tech hub will complement the efforts of the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy to build tech talents across Nigeria.
He noted that the Foundation currently supports 25,000 Nigerians who are being trained under the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme of the federal government, where people are being trained in tech skills across the country.
“We are currently accessing partners that we’re going to work with to deliver this tech hub. We’re also talking to other tech companies that have similar projects. Once we are done, we will build one in Nigeria and the second one in the DRC,” Ogunsanya stated.
Also speaking on the project, Airtel Africa CEO, Sunil Taldar, said the Group has committed a seed fund to the foundation to deliver tailored solutions that meet the community’s specific needs and maximise the Group’s impact.
Improving 10 million lives
Unveiling the Foundation’s plans to directly improve the lives of 10 million people across the continent by 2030, Ogunsanya said the strategy will be delivered through targeted initiatives under four core pillars, namely Financial Empowerment, Education, Environmental Protection and Digital Inclusion (FEED).
“Our 2030 vision is a transformed Africa where over 10 million lives are directly improved through our interventions. We are not just donating resources, we are building a pipeline of talent and fostering innovation to ensure the global digital revolution leaves no African behind,” he said.
- He added that the mission would be executed through targeted programmes, which include ‘Connecting Schools’, which provides free connectivity and devices.
- Another initiative, he said, is the ‘Airtel Africa Fellowship’, which offers full undergraduate scholarships in tech and STEM fields, complemented by mentorship and internships.
What you should know
In March this year, the Federal Government announced it had received a N1 billion grant from Airtel Africa Foundation to boost its 3 Million Technical Talent initiative.
- According to the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, who made the announcement, the grant would be deployed towards training and empowering Nigerians with in-demand technical skills under the 3MTT program.
- The N1 billion grant from Airtel Africa Foundation came as the second big boost for the 3MTT program since it commenced in 2023.
- In November 2023, the government signed a N1 billion deal with telecom infrastructure company, IHS Tower, to build learning communities across Nigeria for the 3MTT program.
