Airtel Africa Plc is expanding its digital education ambitions across the continent, pledging to connect 5,000 schools to free internet access by 2027 as the telecommunications operator deepens its investment in digital inclusion and workforce development.
The initiative, delivered through the Airtel Africa Foundation in partnership with UNICEF, builds on a $57 million collaboration launched in 2021 that has already connected 3,296 schools across Africa. The programme has provided more than two million students and approximately 40,000 teachers with internet-enabled learning opportunities, while zero-rating 64 educational platforms accessed by over 11 million users at no cost.
Chief Executive Officer Sunil Taldar announced the expanded target during a visit to St. Monica’s Girls School in Lusaka, Zambia, one of more than 300 schools already benefiting from the initiative in the country.
The announcement underscores how African telecom operators are increasingly positioning themselves as digital infrastructure providers extending beyond traditional voice and data services into education, financial inclusion and broader socioeconomic development.
“Students are accessing best-in-class education from the curriculum developed by UNICEF in partnership with various Ministries of Education and provided through Airtel’s connectivity,” Taldar said. The company is also training teachers to integrate digital tools into classroom instruction, helping improve learning outcomes while extending connectivity to underserved communities.
The initiative comes as governments across Africa accelerate efforts to digitize education systems, particularly in rural areas where limited internet access continues to widen learning inequalities. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant gaps in digital education infrastructure, prompting greater collaboration between governments, development agencies and private-sector technology providers.
According to Airtel Africa, the School Connection programme now operates in 13 countries: Chad, Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. The programme combines broadband connectivity with teacher training and access to curriculum-aligned digital learning resources.
Education leaders in Zambia say the impact is already visible.
St. Monica’s Girls School Headmistress Sr. Matilda Soloko said students have been able to strengthen their studies through the online learning portal since the school was connected during the programme’s initial rollout. UNICEF Zambia Country Representative Dr. Saja Farooq Abdullah added that the partnership is helping bridge educational inequality by ensuring children can continue learning regardless of their location or pace of study.
Officials at Zambia’s Ministry of Education also welcomed the collaboration, highlighting the role of public-private partnerships in expanding digital learning capacity. Director of Secondary Education Yvonne Mwemba Chuulu said students are now able to continue accessing educational content from home, complementing classroom instruction through blended learning.
For Airtel Africa, the programme also reinforces its broader environmental, social and governance (ESG) agenda. The Airtel Africa Foundation focuses on four strategic pillars: education, digital inclusion, financial inclusion and environmental sustainability. While the company has traditionally competed on mobile connectivity and mobile money services, initiatives such as School Connection strengthen its social impact credentials across its 14 African markets.
The expanded commitment reflects growing recognition that internet connectivity has become an essential component of modern education, particularly as digital skills become increasingly important for Africa’s young and rapidly growing population. By providing schools with free internet access, zero-rated educational content and teacher training, Airtel Africa aims to help narrow the continent’s digital divide while creating a stronger foundation for future economic participation.
If achieved, connecting 5,000 schools by 2027 would mark one of the continent’s largest telecom-led digital education initiatives, extending online learning opportunities to millions more students across sub-Saharan Africa.