Airtel Africa Foundation, through Airtel Nigeria, has awarded two Nigerian students fully-funded scholarships to study at Plaksha University, India, under the Airtel Africa Fellowship programme.
The two recipients, Terence Ifeanyichukwu and Ali Usman Mohammed emerged successful after a highly competitive selection process and will pursue undergraduate degrees in technology-related fields, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), at Plaksha University, a forward-thinking institution focused on redefining engineering education for the modern era.
The Airtel Africa Fellowship, launched in September 2024, is a flagship initiative of the Airtel Africa Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of Airtel Africa. It is designed to provide academically gifted but financially disadvantaged African youth with access to world-class STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education and global learning opportunities.
Speaking on the development, the chairman of Airtel Africa Foundation, Dr. Segun Ogunsanya, noted that, the initiative is not merely about access to education but about building the continent’s next generation of technology leaders.
“Beyond offering an opportunity to study in one of the most advanced universities globally, this Fellowship is about empowering Africa’s future innovators with relevant skills, nurturing their potential, and helping them realise ambitions that can positively impact their communities and the world. We are incredibly proud of Terence and Ali and are confident they will represent Nigeria with excellence,” Ogunsanya said.
The selection process, overseen by Plaksha University, was highly rigorous. The applicants were assessed based on academic performance, leadership potential, personal motivation, and alignment with the university’s values. From a pool of candidates drawn from Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, and Tanzania, 21 applicants were shortlisted, with 13 progressing to the final interview stage. Ultimately, two Nigerians were selected for admission and full sponsorship.
Through this collaboration, Airtel Africa Foundation seeks to advance its long-term vision of equipping Africa’s youth with cutting-edge digital skills, fostering innovation, and helping break the poverty cycle through education and empowerment.
CEO of Airtel Nigeria, Dinesh Balsingh, emphasised the relevance of such initiatives in building a digital-ready workforce.
“This scholarship is a strategic step towards preparing young Nigerians for the future. Through exposure to advanced tech education, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s digital transformation by investing in a pipeline of skilled, globally competitive professionals,” Balsingh said.
The Foundation also disclosed plans to award 100 additional local scholarships to Nigerian undergraduates in the coming months. This aligns with its broader mission to foster development through its F.E.E.D. agenda: Financial Inclusion, Education, Environmental Protection, and Digital Inclusion.
