Airtel Africa, a leading provider of telecommunications and mobile money services across 14 African countries, has today announced that its five-year partnership with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), aimed at transforming education across the continent, has connected over 1,500 schools to the internet, trained 17,000 teachers, and reached nearly a million learners with quality digital education resources across 13 African countries.

The partnership was launched in 2021 as part of Airtel Africa’s $57 million commitment to support the development of education and bridge the digital divide for vulnerable children in remote communities in collaboration with African governments.

Since the commencement of the partnership, Airtel Africa has prioritised the accessibility of online learning resources, including zero-rated educational platforms and teacher training, to support equitable learning opportunities for Africa’s children.

Airtel Africa CEO, Sunil Taldar, speaking on the success of the partnership while marking this year’s World’s Children’s Day said: “Our mission is to transform lives, and through our collaboration with UNICEF, we are witnessing the profound impact that connectivity and digital resources can have on Africa’s children and teachers.

For every school we have connected and for each teacher trained on using these digital tools, we are taking tangible steps toward realizing our commitment to bridging the digital divide, advancing educational equality and restating our commitment to the relentless pursuit of a better future for African children on the continent.

According to Mr. Taldar, “by equipping these schools with internet connectivity and training teachers on how to use the digital tools, Airtel Africa and UNICEF are providing Africa’s children, particularly those in underserved and remote regions, with the digital tools and skills they need to thrive in a technology-driven world.

This is why we are celebrating with the children on this special occasion of World Children’s Day, specially dedicated to them and all the effort aimed at securing and improving their future.

The partnership has expanded digital learning to learners in 13 countries since its launch. The countries include Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.

Treepz, a leading corporate mobility startup in sub-Saharan Africa renowned for its safe and convenient transport solutions, has been selected by the World Trade Center for the 2024 Trade Accelerator Program (TAP) in Toronto, Canada.

L-R: John Shaibu, Cofounder & Senior VP, Customer Engagement, Treepz, Johnny Enagwolor, Cofounder & President, Treepz & Onyeka Akumah, Founder & CEO, Treepz

This prestigious opportunity is in line with Treepz’s ongoing global expansion strategy to export its indigenous and innovative mobility solutions to new international markets.

The Trade Accelerator Program (TAP), organized in partnership with the Black Entrepreneurship Alliance, is designed to help high-potential small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) strategically scale their operations globally through personalized mentorship series, workshops and an unrivalled network of export advisors and world-class resources.

The program is expected to last for three months, with selected brands, including Treepz, undergoing various networking and mentorship programs.

Since its launch in 2019, Treepz has gathered momentum in the African mobility industry by providing cutting-edge solutions to address the prevalent transportation challenges across Nigeria, Uganda, Ghana and Kenya.

The startup has served over 5 million people with on-demand tech-enabled vehicle rental solutions such as guest transportation, school bus shuttling, and airport transfers, and currently operates in 16 cities across the continent.

Speaking on the program, Onyeka Akumah, Founder & CEO of Treepz, attributed the honours of the invitation to the team’s dedicated effort at Treepz to provide innovative solutions that meet the growing needs of diverse customers.

He noted that “The TAP Tech Toronto program is an invaluable opportunity for Treepz to further showcase new indigenous ideas we have for our customers on a global scale.” said Onyeka Akumah, Founder & CEO of Treepz.

“Additionally, this is a testament to our vision and goal to build a world-class mobility company. It is our time to say we are taking solutions built in Africa to the world. The solutions to transportation needs we’ve built in Africa have a global use case and we are set to take advantage of this opportunity to export African-grown solutions globally”.

“We would like to thank the World Trade Centre in Toronto for believing in our vision and selecting us for this prestigious program.

“We are confident that the experience from this program will be transformative for our startup, and we can’t wait to see where it takes us”, Onyeka added.

Recall that earlier this year, Treepz achieved significant milestones, including winning Best Startup Pitch in Africa at the 2024 African Union Conference in Zambia and becoming the first corporate mobility startup in Africa to complete an international cross-border rental trip.

The company has also secured key partnerships with many corporates to provide close to 10,000 daily employee transportation to companies like KingMakers (owners of BetKings) and Parallex Bank in Nigeria, SamaSource in Kenya, BrighterMonday in Uganda and several schools in Ghana.

This push continues to cement Treepz’s position as a leader in the African mobility landscape with more than 5 million customers served on the continent, reflecting Treepz’s commitment to driving innovative, scalable and indigenous solutions that meet the evolving transportation needs of Africa and beyond.

Hermplify, a groundbreaking AI-powered platform, has officially launched to help women entrepreneurs and young girls in Africa grow their businesses and learn valuable tech skills.

The platform is designed to make it easier for women to succeed by providing tools for managing their businesses, accessing financial support, and learning in-demand digital skills.

Hermplify aims to empower millions of women in Africa, where over 100 million female entrepreneurs currently face barriers like lack of access to technology and funding. By offering user-friendly, AI-driven business and education tools, Hermplify enables women to overcome these obstacles and thrive in the growing digital economy.

“Our mission at Hermplify is simple: to give women and girls the tools they need to succeed in business and life,” said Anthony Olanrewaju, CEO of Hermplify. “With the platform, our scope is to ‘amplify’ every ‘her’ in underserved communities across Africa. This will enable women and girls across Africa easily manage their businesses, access loans, and gain valuable tech skills—all in one place.”

What Hermplify Offers:

AI-Powered Business Tools: Hermplify provides easy-to-use tools like automated invoicing, payment processing, and online storefronts, helping women manage and grow their businesses.

Educational Resources: The platform offers courses on digital marketing, web design, and data analysis, giving young girls and women the skills they need to be competitive in today’s job market.

Access to Finance: Hermplify offers soft loans and financial services to help women entrepreneurs start and expand their businesses.

With Africa’s digital economy expected to reach $300 billion by 2025, Hermplify is well-positioned to support women entrepreneurs in accessing new opportunities. Since its soft launch, the platform has already attracted over 1,700 registered users within its first month.

“We believe in amplifying the voices and talents of women in Africa. Hermplify is not just a business platform—it’s a movement to drive economic equality and opportunity for women across the continent,” said Olanrewaju.

As Hermplify continues to grow, the platform plans to expand its reach across other African countries, helping even more women unlock their full potential in business and technology.

To join or partner with Hermplify, visit www.hermplify.com