Africell, a leading African mobile network operator providing mobile and digital services in Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, The Gambia, and Sierra Leone, has teamed up with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to provide better digital connectivity to UNDP’s Timbuktu University Innovation Pods (UniPods) in Sierra Leone and The Gambia.
The partnership is expected to see Africell providing essential digital connectivity services to the UniPods, including 4G MiFi devices, high‑speed internet, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. These contributions will enable young innovators working in the Unipods to develop, test, and scale solutions to local and global development challenges.
Ziad Dalloul, Africell Group CEO and President of the Africell Impact Foundation, said: “This collaboration plays to everyone’s strengths by combining Africell’s connectivity expertise with
UNDP’s innovation network. By equipping the UniPods in Sierra Leone and The Gambia with Africell’s signature internet services, we are investing in young Africans and helping to turn raw talent into successful enterprise.”
Beyond connectivity, UNDP and Africell will collaborate on innovation and accelerator programmes designed to increase participation in the UniPods and deepen their long-term social impact. For example: these programmes will leverage robotics, entrepreneurship and digital skills courses that the Africell Impact Foundation is already delivering through its own network of learning centres in West Africa.
The agreement underscores UNDP’s commitment to expanding Africa’s home-grown innovation ecosystem under the Timbuktu initiative.
“Digital inclusion is key to Africa’s innovation future. This partnership expands digital access and gives young innovators the connectivity they need to turn ideas into impactful solutions. When we invest in young people’s talents and remove barriers to opportunity, we accelerate Africa’s path to competitiveness, and inclusive growth,” explained Ahunna Eziakonwa, Assistant UN Secretary General and Director of UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa.
UNDP’s UniPods are high‑tech makers and innovation spaces in public universities that equip young people with the tools and skills to turn ideas into market‑ready solutions. UniPods fall within UNDP’s broader Timbuktu initiative, which is a series of programmes designed to boost investment in African founders and startups – including, in addition to UniPods, the Timbuktu Policy Labs and several thematic industries ‘hubs’ in major African cities.
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