The Airtel Africa Foundation has partnered with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA), and Cisco on a joint initiative to advance digital skills development and capacity building under the Digital Transformation Centres (DTC) Initiative.
The partnership seeks to bridge the digital divide and promote digital inclusion by providing free Internet connectivity and digital skills training to underserved communities in Rwanda. It aligns with the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which emphasizes inclusive and equitable access to technology and education.
Under the partnership, ITU will provide digital skills training content to the DTCs and support additional capacity development activities across the region. The organization will also facilitate networking opportunities aimed at promoting digital literacy and inclusion, allowing participants to benefit from global expertise and best practices.
Speaking to the press, Sujay Chakrabarti, Managing Director of Airtel Rwanda, highlighted the importance of the initiative:
“Today’s partnership between the Airtel Africa Foundation, ITU, RISA, and Cisco marks a significant step forward in bridging the digital divide and empowering Rwandan youth with digital skills. This partnership is a powerful example of what happens when government, private sector, and international organizations come together to empower communities.”
Through Airtel Rwanda, the Airtel Africa Foundation will equip DTC locations with routers, Wi-Fi, and data packages at no cost, ensuring the effective rollout of training and access to digital learning platforms.
This landmark partnership complements Rwanda’s national ambition to become a knowledge-based economy, reinforcing government initiatives such as Connect Rwanda, which promotes access to smartphones and digital services for underserved communities.
Esi Asare Prah, Head of Programs at Airtel Africa Foundation, speaking on behalf of Dr. Segun Ogunsanya, Chair of the Foundation, said the partnership demonstrates Airtel’s long-term commitment to inclusive development:
“This partnership reflects our commitment to supporting national development goals and closing the digital divide through meaningful collaboration. We are honoured to partner with ITU to bring this vision to life and contribute to Rwanda’s journey toward becoming a digitally empowered society.”
Dr. Emmanuel Mannaseh, Regional Director for ITU said; “Our partnership with Airtel Africa Foundation begins in Rwanda, where we are joining forces to strengthen digital skills in underserved communities. This initiative lays the groundwork for broader regional collaboration as we aim to expand this work to other Digital Transformation Centres across Africa.”
Echoing the same sentiment, Antoine Sebera, CEO of Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA), commended the collaboration as a model of action-oriented partnership: “What we are seeing here today is partnership in action. Statistics show that about 900 million people in Africa remain unconnected — extra effort is needed to ensure that no one is left behind. This initiative positions Rwanda a step ahead by intentionally involving the youth. These centres will play a transformative role in equipping them with digital skills and enabling them to leverage AI. Digital transformation is driving the world, and neither Africa nor Rwanda can afford to be left behind.”
