Microsoft has partnered with Afrilearn International Limited to accelerate the rollout of its AI-powered, mobile-first learning platforms aimed at expanding access to quality education for millions of African children. The collaboration showed Microsoft’s commitment to supporting scalable technology solutions that address the continent’s widening learning gaps.

Despite rising enrolment across the continent, more than 100 million African children remain out of school, according to UNESCO and UNICEF. Many who attend school struggle with outdated materials, overstretched teachers and poor connectivity, leaving a widening learning gap that threatens Africa’s ability to compete in the global digital economy.

Afrilearn, founded in 2020 by young entrepreneurs determined to tackle this challenge, began with ClassNotes.ng, now Nigeria’s leading online learning platform. By 2022, the company had reached one million learners. Today, it serves more than four million learners and more than 800 schools across over 10 African countries.

The Afrilearn App offers students class notes, video lessons, quizzes, games and homework support, while Exambly.com provides free preparation for key local and international exams. The platform uses gamification to keep learners engaged and provides parents with tools to monitor progress. The company’s impact data shows that 80% of learners record improved outcomes within one week of consistent use, while AI-powered personalisation can boost grades by up to 52 percent within eight weeks.

Afrilearn has also built an AI-powered School Management Software that supports teachers with administration, reporting, fee management and lesson planning. Partnerships with Schoolinka have strengthened teacher training and classroom adoption across the schools the platform serves.

The edtech firm’s growth has been accelerated through the Microsoft and NVIDIA African GenAI Accelerator Programme. Afrilearn leveraged Microsoft Azure AI and cloud infrastructure to rebuild its school management system, enhance personalisation tools and develop predictive analytics for schools. The engineering team also uses GitHub, Visual Studio Code, Microsoft Teams and SharePoint to streamline development and collaborate efficiently across multiple countries.

Microsoft says these tools have helped Afrilearn deliver updates faster, reduce errors and build a more stable, scalable platform.

Schools using Afrilearn’s management system report saving more than 10 administrative hours weekly and increasing fee collection by 35–40 percent.

Afrilearn plans to scale further across the continent, deepening collaborations with UNICEF and the African Union. It currently serves learners in Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Gambia and the wider diaspora.

“At Afrilearn, we’re the ecosystem closing the gap between Africa’s potential and its future,” CEO Isaac Oladipupo said. “Our goal is to reach 10 million learners across 12 African countries in the next 36 months. Every child deserves a quality education that positions them for success.”

Microsoft says its support for Afrilearn aligns with its broader commitment to expanding inclusive, high-quality education for all African children.