,LAGOS – Airtel on Friday said that it had partnered Microsoft and Intel to promote rural Information and Communications Technology (ICT) empowerment in Lagos and Ogun States.
The Chief Commercial Officer of Airtel, Mr Maurice Newa, said in a statement in Lagos that the partnership was in continuation of the company’s initiative in boosting data awareness in rural communities across Nigeria.
Microsoft is software giant while Intel is a chips making company.
The collaboration is coming two weeks after Airtel flagged off its empowerment and enlightenment campaign, tagged “Boost ICT Usage in Rural Areas’ in Western Nigeria’’. [eap_ad_2] Newa said that the partnership with the two ICT companies would further enrich the programme and create unique experiences for participants in the two states.
He said that the two ICT companies would provide digital literacy curriculum content and smart mobile devices through which participants would be able to experience, view and download contents using Airtel data.
The Lagos activities took place at Ibowon-Epe, while that of Ogun would follow at Osiele Community Town Hall along Olu of Osiele’s Palace Road in Osiele, Abeokuta.
“The programme was initiated to empower consumers in underserved communities to have first-hand experience of the company’s superior data services at no financial implication.
“The campaign is designed to empower rural dwellers with basic ICT skills, enabling them to use smart phones, laptops and tablets to surf the World Wide Web (WWW) and connect with friends and family members via the Internet,” Newa said.
Speaking on the collaboration, Mr Mark Ihimoyan, Director, Consumer Channel Group of Microsoft said that the company was commitment to the development of ICT awareness in rural Africa.
“At Microsoft, we remain committed to providing Africans with affordable access to devices and services, through both the 4Afrika initiative and our Mobile Devices Division, not just in the urban areas but also to the previously unreached rural populations,’’ Ihimoyan said.
Intel’s Country Manager for Nigeria and West Africa, Mr Olubunmi Ekundare, said that the initiative tied back neatly to what the company stood for both globally and locally.
Ekundare said that technology without connectivity was useless to the user.
He said that partnering Airtel in the ICT eco-system would help drive a scalable adoption of technology that was aimed at impacting the lives of every Nigerian. (NAN) [eap_ad_3]
