The Airtel Africa Foundation is partnering with the UN’s International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Rwanda’s Information Society Authority (RISA), and Cisco to roll out a digital skills program aimed at “underserved communities” in the country.
The plan, announced Thursday in Kigali, will leverage an existing framework called the Digital Transformation Centres (DTC) Initiative. The goal is to provide free internet connectivity and digital skills training to close the persistent digital divide, a move the partners are linking to the UN’s broader 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
How the partnership works
The initiative hinges on the DTC program, a global network of national institutions first launched by the ITU and Cisco in 2019. These centers act as local hubs for digital skills training. This new partnership defines who will provide what to get the Rwandan centers running.
Here’s the breakdown of responsibilities:
- Airtel (via its foundation and Airtel Rwanda): The company is handling the connectivity. It has pledged to equip the DTC locations with routers, Wi-Fi, and the necessary data packages to run the training programs, all provided “at no cost.”
- The ITU: The UN agency is in charge of the curriculum. It will supply the digital skills training content for the centers. Beyond content, the ITU will also manage networking opportunities and share best practices from its other regional capacity-building projects.
- RISA: As the Rwandan government’s tech authority, RISA is the key national partner, embedding the program into the country’s existing digital strategy.
- Cisco: The networking giant is a foundational partner of the global DTC initiative, which this new project builds upon.
This collaboration is designed to directly support Rwanda’s national ambition to become a “knowledge-based economy.” It complements existing government programs like ‘Connect Rwanda,’ which aims to increase smartphone access and the adoption of digital services.
The bigger picture
Officials involved were candid about the scale of the challenge. “Statistics show that 900 million people in Africa remain unconnected,” said Antoine Sebera, CEO of RISA. “Extra effort needs to be made to make sure that no one is left behind.”
Sebera argued this positions Rwanda “a step ahead by being intentional to involve the youth,” adding that he sees the centers playing a “transformative role in educating the youth to leverage AI. Digital Transformation is driving the world and Africa or Rwanda can not be left behind.”
Sujay Chakrabarti, Managing Director of Airtel Rwanda, called the deal a “significant step forward” and a “powerful example of what happens when government, private sector, and international organizations come together to empower communities.”
The Airtel Africa Foundation, which is the philanthropic arm of the 14-country telecom provider, framed the move as part of its core mission. “This partnership reflects our commitment to supporting national development goals and closing the digital divide through meaningful collaboration,” said Esi Asare Prah, Head of Programs at the foundation, speaking on behalf of Chair Dr. Segun Ogunsaya.
While the program is kicking off in Rwanda, the ITU, which functions as the UN’s dedicated agency for digital technologies, already sees it as a potential template for the continent.
“Our partnership with Airtel Africa Foundation begins in Rwanda… to advance connectivity,” said Dr. Emmanuel Mannaseh, the ITU’s Regional Director. “This initiative lays the groundwork for broader regional collaboration, as we aim to expand this work to other Digital Transformation Centres across Africa.”
