The Airtel Africa Foundation has launched ‘Airtel Africa Fellowship Programme’ for undergraduate students at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras Zanzibar, the first-ever foreign campus established by an IIT.
The fellowship aims to support deserving students from 14 African countries: Nigeria, Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Zambia, Tanzania, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, Madagascar, and Seychelles.
A total of 10 undergraduate students will receive 100 percent of their college fees, with an initial outlay of $500,000. This funding will cover the entire four-year course duration, and the recipients will be known as ‘Airtel Africa Fellows’.
The Chairman of the Airtel Africa Foundation, Dr Olusegun Ogunsanya, expressed his delight with the partnership with IIT Madras Zanzibar, which aims to provide opportunities for young Africans to access quality education.
“This initiative aims to contribute towards creating a prosperous and sustainable continent. We look forward to creating even more opportunities, not just in education, but also in financial and digital inclusion, as well as environmental protection,” said Dr Ogunsanya.
Commenting on the fellowship scheme, Zanzibar’s Minister of Education and Vocational Training, Lela Mohamed Mussa, said that providing access to high-quality education to students from Tanzania and the rest of the continent, who excel in the IIT Madras Zanzibar screening and test processes, through financial assistance, is a key priority.
Founded in 2024 with a vision to foster a prosperous Africa, the Airtel Africa Foundation is dedicated to advancing digital and financial inclusion across the continent, with a strong focus on education and environmental protection.
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