Airtel Africa Foundation has awarded 3.85 billion Ugandan shillings (approximately $1 million) in fully funded scholarships to 20 students in Uganda to pursue ICT-related degrees at leading universities, including Makerere University and Kyambogo University. The initiative aims to address structural gaps in access to higher education, as only 5.7% of Ugandans aged 10 and above have attained post-secondary education.
The scholarships are part of the “Airtel Africa Tech Fellowship” program, designed to remove financial and skills barriers that limit young Africans’ participation in the digital economy. Recipients were selected based on strong academic performance and potential in technology disciplines, reflecting the program’s focus on nurturing talent in Uganda’s ICT sector.
Soumendra Sahu, Managing Director of Airtel Uganda, emphasized that the program is a long-term investment in technological capacity, noting that equipping students with education and skills contributes to the transformation of communities, industries, and the broader economy.
Beyond individual support, the foundation intends to build a pipeline of local expertise capable of meeting rising demand in the digital sector. Reports such as OECD’s “Africa’s Development Dynamics 2024” highlight the need for qualified professionals to sustain technological development across the continent.
The scholarships come amid persistent challenges in Uganda’s higher education system. Secondary school enrollment remains low, with gross enrollment at 34% and net enrollment at 23%, while public university enrollment, though growing, continues to fall short of demand. The program demonstrates how private sector initiatives can complement public capacity by investing in human capital and aligning with national digital transformation goals.
