The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Africell have entered into a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening digital connectivity for young innovators in Sierra Leone and The Gambia, a move expected to significantly enhance youth-led innovation and entrepreneurship across the two countries.
The agreement was formalized on Thursday, January 29, 2026, in New York and targets UNDP’s Timbuktoo University Innovation Pods (Uniods); high-tech maker and innovation spaces hosted within public universities. Under the partnership, Africell will provide critical digital connectivity infrastructure, including 4G MiFi devices, high-speed internet access and Internet of Things (IoT) tools to support innovators working within the UniPods.
Those resources will enable students and young entrepreneurs to design, test and scale technology-driven solutions addressing both local and global development challenges. The intervention is expected to remove one of the most persistent barriers to innovation in the region; reliable and affordable internet access.
Speaking on the collaboration, Ziad Dalloul, Group Chief Executive Officer of Africell and President of the Africell Impact Foundation, said the partnership aligns with Africell’s mission to empower Africa’s next generation of innovators.
“This collaboration plays to everyone’s strengths by combining Africell’s connectivity expertise with UNDP’s innovation network,” Ziad Dalloul noted. “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 infrastructure support, the partnership will also extend to joint innovation and accelerator programmes designed to increase youth participation in the UniPods and deepen their long-term social and economic impact. Those programmes will build on existing initiatives of the Africell Impact Foundation, including robotics training, entrepreneurship development and digital skills courses delivered through its learning centres across West Africa.
The collaboration forms part of UNDP’s broader Timbuktoo initiative, a flagship effort aimed at strengthening Africa’s home-grown innovation ecosystem. The Timbuktoo framework includes UniPods, Policy Labs and sector-focused innovation hubs in major African cities, all designed to unlock investment and growth opportunities for African startups and founders.
Ahunna Eziakonwa, Assistant United Nations Secretary-General and Director of UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Africa, emphasized the importance of digital inclusion in shaping Africa’s economic future.
“Digital inclusion is key to Africa’s innovation future,” she said. “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.”
UNDP’s UniPods continue to play a growing role in equipping African youth with the tools, skills and networks needed to transform ideas into market-ready solutions. The partnership with Africell is expected to further strengthen this mission, positioning young innovators in Sierra Leone and The Gambia at the forefront of Africa’s digital transformation.
