Airtel Nigeria has opened applications for the 2026/2027 Airtel Africa Tech Fellowship, a scholarship programme for undergraduates studying information and communications technology (ICT) and other technology courses at accredited Nigerian universities. The programme will back 100 students, according to the application listing on Yeshub.ng. Applications close on 7 December 2026.
Fellows receive support from 100 level through their final year, provided they meet the programme’s conditions, per the same listing. Benefits include tuition support, stipends, mentorship and study materials. Eligible courses include computer science, information technology, cybersecurity, systems engineering and software engineering.
Who Qualifies Across 12 Universities
The listing names 12 participating universities. The roster runs from the University of Lagos and Ahmadu Bello University to the University of Maiduguri and the Federal University of Technology, Owerri. It also adds schools such as the University of Ibadan, the University of Uyo and the University of Abuja.
That is a notable expansion. The first cohort drew from seven institutions, Techeconomy reported. Still, 12 schools represent a small slice of Nigeria’s accredited universities, so geography will shape who gets a shot.
What the First Cohort Delivered
The Airtel Africa Foundation inducted its first Nigerian cohort in March at Airtel Nigeria’s Lagos headquarters. Foundation chairman Segun Ogunsanya and Airtel Nigeria CEO Dinesh Balsingh presented 70 full-ride awards, according to Techeconomy. Selection took nearly six months and drew thousands of applicants.
The package covers tuition, laptops, living expenses and learning resources. Each fellow gets a ₦500,000 yearly budget across a four- or five-year degree. Ogunsanya framed the programme as a test of corporate legacy that goes beyond selling SIM cards.
The numbers invite scrutiny. Last year’s application portal said 100 students would be selected, yet the foundation inducted 70. Techeconomy’s report does not explain the gap. Applicants should also ask whether ₦500,000 a year stretches across tuition, living costs and materials for the full length of a degree.
A Continental Programme With Uneven Scale
Nigeria is one of several markets in the programme. Fellows already study in Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and India, Techeconomy reported. In Zambia, TechAfrica News reported that the foundation opened 50 scholarships for the 2026/2027 academic year.
Airtel’s Nigerian talent spending has grown in steps. In 2025, the company announced a fellowship that would send 10 Nigerian students to Plaksha University in India. It also pledged digital skills training for 25,000 young Nigerians under the government’s 3MTT programme.
Rivals are competing for the same talent story. MTN Nigeria has committed ₦3 billion to 3MTT, a far larger pipeline play than a 100-seat scholarship. Airtel’s network ambitions are also growing, including Starlink Direct-to-Cell across 14 markets. Those networks will need engineers, and a 100-student programme cannot supply them alone.
What to Watch Next
The deadline lands in four weeks, so the first signal is application volume. Last cycle’s thousands of applicants suggest demand will far outrun the seats.
The next test comes after selection. The foundation has said it wants fellows to move from classroom to global tech workforce, but it has published no tracking of outcomes. Whether the 2026/2027 intake reaches 100, and whether Airtel reports what happens after graduation, will decide if the Airtel Africa Tech Fellowship is a pipeline or a pledge.
