Dr. Olusegun Ogunsanya, Chairman of the Airtel Africa Foundation.
The Airtel Africa Foundation has announced the launch of a prestigious scholarship program for undergraduate students at IIT Madras Zanzibar. The program aims to support deserving students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.
“We are pleased to partner with IIT Madras Zanzibar to provide opportunities for young Africans to access quality education,” said Dr. Olusegun Ogunsanya, Chairman of the Airtel Africa Foundation. “This initiative aims to contribute towards creating a prosperous and sustainable continent.”
With an initial outlay of US$500,000, the program will benefit 10 students for the entire 4-year course duration. The scholarship will cover 100% of college fees (US$12,000) and provide an additional US$500 to cover living expenses.
“IITM Zanzibar is charting a wonderful path in technical education in the region,” said Zanzibar’s Minister of Education and Vocational Training, H.E. Ms Lela Mohamed Mussa. “Providing access to this high-quality education to students from Tanzania and the rest of the continent, who are topping the IITM Zanzibar screening and test processes, through financial assistance, is an important priority for us. We are thankful to this support from Airtel Africa Foundation, which will enhance our own efforts in this direction.”
The program is open to students from 14 African countries and seeks to enhance educational opportunities for meritorious students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Recipients will be known as ‘Airtel Africa Fellows’.
“IIT Madras is committed to establishing a world-class campus in Zanzibar,” said Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras. “We are delighted that Airtel Africa Foundation is joining hands with us in this effort. We look forward to welcoming the second cohort of bright young students to the IITM Zanzibar campus this year. We are immensely grateful to Airtel Africa Foundation for providing financial assistance for these future global leaders.”
The Foundation is dedicated to advancing digital and financial inclusion across the continent, with a key focus on education and environmental protection. This scholarship program is the first initiative undertaken to enhance educational opportunities for meritorious students enrolled at IIT M Zanzibar.