NEW DELHI: Airtel Africa on Friday said it will support the digital and technology skills training for 25,000 youth from 80 local government areas in Nigeria.
“The support will be delivered under the 3 Million Technical Talents (3MTT) programme, a Presidential mandate aimed at training young Nigerians in digital and technology skills,” the telecom operator said in a statement.
The Airtel Africa Foundation will also deliver 10 scholarships for Nigerian students to study technology-focused courses at the Plaksha University in India under the Airtel Africa Fellowship.
The announcements were made during a meeting between Airtel Africa chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal and Airtel Africa chief executive officer (CEO) Sunil Taldar with Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at State House in Abuja.
“Nigeria remains a strategic market for Airtel Africa, and we are fully committed to supporting the government’s digital transformation agenda. Through initiatives like the Airtel Africa Fellowship and our investment in 3MTT, we are ensuring that the youth of Nigeria have access to world-class education and digital skills,” Mittal said.
He said significant work is underway via the ‘Airtel-UNICEF Reimagine Education’ programme, which has onboarded 1,260 schools and over 6 lakh students in Nigeria to digital learning platforms such as the Nigerian Learning Passport (NLP).
“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,” Taldar, in turn, said.
The telco also welcomed the recent designation of telecom infrastructure as ‘Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII)’ which will play a role in safeguarding and expanding Nigeria’s digital backbone.
