Airtel Advocates Sustainability Education in Nigerian schools

Airtel Africa Foundation has launched a sustainability education programme across selected Nigerian schools, introducing environmental learning spaces designed to embed climate awareness and practical ecological skills into everyday classroom activities.

The initiative, known as the Airtel Green Schools programme, is being implemented through Airtel Nigeria and was unveiled as part of activities marking the 2026 World Environment Day, themed “Climate Action”. It is part of the group’s broader corporate social responsibility and environmental, social, and governance strategy in Africa’s largest mobile market.

Under the programme, ten adopted schools across nine states spanning Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones have been equipped with “Airtel Gardens”, structured environmental learning spaces within school compounds.

The gardens are designed to function as practical teaching tools rather than decorative installations. They include sections for edible crops, fruit trees, and shade trees, allowing pupils to observe and participate in basic agricultural processes such as planting, growth cycles, and harvesting. Airtel said the aim is to build early awareness of food systems, biodiversity, and climate adaptation.

In addition to cultivation areas, the schools have also been fitted with composting stations that convert organic waste generated within the school environment into fertiliser. The programme also incorporates plastic recycling units intended to repurpose waste materials such as bottles and tyres, reflecting a growing emphasis on circular economy practices within corporate sustainability programmes in Nigeria.

Beneficiary schools include St. George’s Nursery and Primary School in Ipaja, Lagos; Yahaya Primary School in Zaria; Iyeru-Okin Primary School in Kwara; St. John Primary School in Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State; Community Primary School in Amumara, Imo State; Presbyterian Primary School in Ediba, Cross River State; Migrant Farmers Community Primary School in Umuahia, Abia State; Gwange III Primary School in Maiduguri, Borno State; Mayflower Secondary School in Ikenne, Ogun State; and Government Day Primary School in Gombe State.

Chairman of the Airtel Africa Foundation, Segun Ogusanya, said the programme was designed to move environmental education beyond awareness campaigns into behavioural change.

“We are excited to inaugurate Airtel Green Schools, which are designed to go beyond awareness and create real behavioural change within Nigeria’s school communities,” he said.

“Through the Restore, Reduce, and Educate pillars, we are equipping young people with practical tools such as gardens, recycling awareness, and environmental learning resources.”

He added that the programme was intended to serve as a scalable model for environmental education in schools.

A key feature of the rollout is the “Read, Engage, Plant” model, which combines storytelling with hands-on environmental activity. At the launch event, Airtel employees under its Employee Volunteer Programme led pupils through a reading session of Jojo and Jade, Heroes of Mother Earth, followed by interactive activities, including crop planting and environmental pledges.

The initiative also included the inauguration of Green School Eco Clubs aimed at sustaining student engagement beyond the launch phase.

Chief Executive of Airtel Nigeria, Dinesh Balsingh, said the programme was intended to translate climate awareness into practical action.

“Climate action becomes meaningful when awareness is translated into action,” he said. “Through the Airtel Garden, we are creating living classrooms where pupils can learn practical lessons about environmental stewardship, sustainable agriculture, waste management, and the importance of protecting our planet.”

Corporate sustainability initiatives in Nigeria’s education sector have expanded in recent years, particularly among telecoms and financial services firms seeking to align social investment programmes with climate and ESG priorities. Analysts say such interventions are increasingly filling gaps in environmental education at the primary and secondary school levels, where curriculum coverage remains limited.

Airtel’s latest programme adds to a growing wave of private-sector-led sustainability education projects across Africa, where governments and corporations are experimenting with practical models to improve climate literacy among young people.