UNICEF, Airtel Africa accelerate digital learning in Nigeria, 12 African countries

Airtel Africa and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have announced a five-year pan-African partnership to help accelerate the roll-out of digital learning through connecting schools to the internet and ensuring free access to learning platforms across 13 countries.

This is by providing equal access to quality digital learning, particularly for the most vulnerable children, a statement by UNICEF said.

According to it, the partnership will help ensure that every child reaches their full potentials.

Under this new initiative, they intend to help connect schools in Lagos and Kano to the internet, to enable children to learn digitally.

This pilot initiative is expected to benefit over 10,000 school children in the two states.

Airtel Africa, a leading provider of telecommunications and mobile money services in Africa, is the first African private sector partner to make a multimillion-dollar commitment to ‘Reimagine Education’, a global initiative launched by UNICEF in 2020.

The initiative calls for public and private sector investment in digital learning as an essential service for every child and young person across the globe.

This initiative aims to give children a chance to catch up on their learning needs amid the ongoing global pandemic.

The  Executive Director of UNICEF, Henrietta Fore said: “Hundreds of millions of children in Africa have seen their education disrupted or put on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“By championing digital education for children in Africa, this partnership with Airtel Africa will help put children’s learning back on track.”

Also, Peter Hawkins, UNICEF Nigeria Representative, said: “Digital learning is the gateway to equipping young people with the right skills.

“Skills that will support them to transition from learning to earning.

“We are delighted that Airtel Nigeria shares in this vision, and is helping to drive the process of scaling up internet connectivity for school children in Nigeria.”

Contributing, Mr Olusegun Ogunsanya, the Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Africa, said: “We as a business, we have focused on education as a key area of our corporate social responsibility.”

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