Mr Taldar made this declaration while on a joint visit with the leadership of UNICEF and Airtel Nigeria.

The delegation, which included Dinesh Balsingh, the chief executive officer, Airtel Nigeria; Celine Lafoucriere, UNICEF chief of Field Office; and other senior executives from Airtel and UNICEF, engaged with school administrators, teachers, and pupils to assess the progress recorded under the Reimagine Education Programme.

This visit marks another significant step in Airtel’s long-standing collaboration with UNICEF to drive inclusive and technology-driven education, ensuring that more Nigerian children have access to quality learning resources.

Through the collaboration, Airtel has reported that over 1,200 schools have been equipped with tablets and data to connect teachers and learners to digital learning platforms.

Speaking with the media after a demonstration of NLP and digital learning devices, Mr Taldar said,

“What I saw today at St Agnes Primary School was impressive and we are encouraged by the impact made for students and teachers through our partnership with UNICEF,” adding that “our partnership with UNICEF is one of the ways we are ensuring that more children in Nigeria and beyond have access to digital learning tools that will equip them for their future. This visit reaffirms our dedication to making education more inclusive, accessible, and impactful.”

Also commenting on the company`s commitment to digital education and bridging the digital divide for Nigerian children, the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Airtel Nigeria, Dinesh Balsingh, highlighted the importance of technology-driven learning, the impact of Airtel’s partnership with UNICEF, and the role of the Nigeria Learning Passport in providing students and teachers with essential digital learning tools.

“At Airtel Nigeria, we are deeply committed to empowering young minds through technology-driven education. Our visit to St. Agnes Primary School underscores our dedication to bridging the digital divide and ensuring that more Nigerian children have access to quality learning resources. Through our partnership with UNICEF, we continue to invest in initiatives like the Nigeria Learning Passport, which provides students and teachers with the tools they need to succeed in a rapidly evolving digital world.”

On her part, UNICEF Chief of Lagos Field Office, Celine Lafoucriere, emphasised the importance of collaborative efforts to reimagine education.

“Education is a fundamental right, and digital learning has become a key enabler in bridging educational gaps. Our partnership with Airtel Africa and Airtel Nigeria continues to provide innovative learning solutions, ensuring that every child, regardless of location or socio-economic status, has the opportunity to learn and thrive. We are excited about the ongoing implementation of the Nigeria Learning Passport and the transformation it brings to education in Nigeria,” she said.

Recall that in 2023, Airtel and UNICEF paid a similar visit to Oremeji Primary School Ajegunle Lagos, one of Airtel Nigeria’s seven adopted schools.

This visit to St. Agnes Primary School reflects a broader engagement with schools benefiting from the Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP) – a digital education platform developed by UNICEF in partnership with the Nigerian government and Microsoft.

The NLP is designed to provide accessible, high-quality educational content to students, teachers, and parents, supporting learning both in and outside the classroom.

Airtel’s collaboration with UNICEF aligns with its broader corporate social responsibility (CSR) agenda to support education, digital inclusion, and sustainable development.

The Nigeria Learning Passport continues to gain traction as a powerful tool in ensuring that children, including those in remote and underserved areas, have access to interactive, high-quality educational content.

This was revealed during a joint visit of both organizations to Oremeji Primary School, Ajegunle, as part of the activities to assess the impact of the program on the learning outcomes of the students.

The delegation, which was led by the Group Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Africa, Segun Ogunsanya; had Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Carl Cruz; UNICEF Chief of Lagos Field Office, Celine Lafoucriere; and other corporate leaders from Airtel and UNICEF engaged teachers, pupils, and school administrators to evaluate the impact of the program on the learning outcomes of the students. 

In his remark at event, the Group Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Africa, Segun Ogunsanya described the pace of activity witnessed at Oremeji Primary School as impressive.

 “As a business, we have focused on education as a key area of our Corporate Social Responsibility, and this far-reaching partnership with UNICEF helps us to accelerate results. So far, we are pleased that this partnership which is aimed at advancing the education agenda on the continent through facilitating connectivity and online access, is also driving change,” he said.

Corroborating Ogunsanya’s thoughts, Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Carl Cruz, noted that the visit to the school is a testament to Airtel’s commitment to ensuring the impact of the Re-Imagine EducationRe-Imagine Education project, while the students’ enthusiasm and improved learning outcomes are proof to the efficacy of the initiative.

“Our commitment is the reason we have come as a full team, to pay a visit and be well acquainted with how much this project has impacted both the teachers and students of Oremeji Primary School, and we are delighted to see the tangible impact of the Re-imagine Education program. At Airtel, education, especially digital learning, forms a significant part of our sustainability agenda for Nigeria and Africa at large and we will stop at nothing to bridge the huge digital gap that currently exists in many primary schools across the country,”  he said.

Also speaking at the event, UNICEF Chief of Lagos Field Office, Celine Lafoucriere, emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts to reimagine education. 

“We are happy to join hands with Airtel in improving the digital learning landscape to create a brighter future for children and young people in Nigeria. We believe every child deserves an equal opportunity to learn and thrive; we will continue working together to provide innovative solutions that empower children to fulfill their potential,” Lafoucriere said. 

The visit provided an opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of the digital tools and resources provided to the school as part of the program. Teachers and pupils showcased how they have been utilizing these resources to create engaging and interactive learning experiences, promoting critical thinking and creativity among students.

The Airtel/UNICEF Re-imagine Education program which officially kicked off in Nigeria in December 2022, aims to transform education, leveraging the power of technology to enhance teaching and learning experiences for children across the country. With a shared vision of empowering children through education, Airtel and UNICEF have been working together to provide innovative solutions that bridge the digital divide and create equal opportunities for all children.

Both organizations disclosed that they will continue to work hand in hand to expand the program’s reach, bringing the benefits of technology-enabled education to more schools and communities across the country. In line with this, Airtel disclosed that 109 more schools have been added to the list of beneficiaries in Nigeria.