Airtel Africa Foundation Partners with the ITU, RISA & Cisco to Boost Digital Skills Development in Rwanda

Airtel Africa Foundation Partners with the ITU, RISA & Cisco to Boost Digital Skills Development in Rwanda 

Kigali, Rwanda – October 23rd, 2025: Airtel Africa Foundation has partnered on a Joint Initiative with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA) and Cisco on capacity and digital skills development, under the Digital Transformation Centres (DTC) Initiative. 

This partnership aims to bridge the digital divide and promote digital inclusion by providing free Internet connectivity and digital skills training to underserved communities in Rwanda, in connection with the advancement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

ITU will provide digital skills training content to the DTCs under the Initiative along with other ITU regional capacity development activities.  In addition, ITU will facilitate networking opportunities related to promoting digital literacy and inclusion, which will enable access to expertise and best practices.

Speaking to the press, Mr. Sujay Chakrabarti, Airtel Rwanda Managing Director said “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”.

The Airtel Africa Foundation, through Airtel Rwanda, will equip DTC locations with routers, Wi-Fi and data packages at no cost, ensuring the effective rollout of training and access to digital educational platforms. 

The landmark partnership aligns with Rwanda’s ambition to become a knowledge-based economy and complements national programmes such as ‘Connect Rwanda’ that promote access to smartphones and digital services for underserved communities.

“This partnership reflects our commitment to supporting national development goals and closing the digital divide through meaningful collaboration,” said Ms. Esi Asare Prah, Head of Programs at Airtel Africa Foundation on behalf of Dr Segun Ogunsaya, Chair of the Airtel Africa Foundation. “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” she added. 

“Our partnership with Airtel Africa Foundation begins in Rwanda, where we are joining forces to strengthen digital skills in underserved communities to advance connectivity. This initiative lays the groundwork for broader regional collaboration, as we aim to expand this work to other Digital Transformation Centres across Africa,’’ said Dr Emmanuel Mannaseh, Regional Director for International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Mr. Antoine Sebera, CEO of Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA) said “What we are seeing here today is partnership in action. Statistics show that 900 million people in Africa remain unconnected, extra effort needs to be made to make sure that no one is left behind. This positions Rwanda a step ahead by being intentional to involve the youth. These centres are going to play 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. 

 Enquiries 

Airtel Africa Foundation

Esi Asare Prah

info@airtelafricafoundation.org 

ITU

Capacity and Digital Skills Development (CSD) Division

Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT)

International Telecommunication Union 

E-mail: dtc@itu.int 

About Airtel Africa Foundation

Airtel Africa Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Airtel Africa Plc, a leading provider of telecommunications and mobile money services, with a presence in 14 countries in Africa. Our mission is to empower Africa through Financial Inclusion, Education, Environmental Protection and Digital Inclusion.

For more information, please visit Airtel Africa Foundation or connect with us on LinkedIn  

About the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) 

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is the United Nations agency for digital technologies, driving innovation for people and the planet with 194 Member States and a membership of over 1,000 companies, universities, civil society, and international and regional organizations. Established in 1865, ITU coordinates the global use of the radio spectrum and satellite orbits, establishes international technology standards, drives universal connectivity and digital services, and is helping to make sure everyone benefits from sustainable digital transformation, including the most remote communities. From artificial intelligence (AI) to quantum, from satellites and submarine cables to advanced mobile and wireless broadband networks, ITU is committed to connecting the world and beyond. Learn more: www.itu.int   ​​​ 

About the Digital Transformation Centres (DTC) Initiative

The Digital Transformation Centres (DTC) Initiative was launched in September 2019 by the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) in partnership with Cisco, with the objective of supporting countries to strengthen digital capacities of citizens, particularly in the underserved communities. The Initiative operates through a global network of national institutions, the Digital Transformation Centres (DTCs), which have a mandate to deliver digital skills programmes in their countries.