Giga’s early work with governments across Africa is demonstrating that connecting schools to the internet is generating tangible, wide-ranging benefits. The results show a triple win for governments, communities, and children.
At the core of this progress is UNICEF’s technical and procurement expertise, which it is deploying to help countries connect schools and young people to the internet. By engaging in the private sector, leveraging donor financing, and applying global procurement experience, UNICEF has helped reduce the cost of school connectivity by up to 60 percent in some countries.
Lower costs create a virtuous cycle, enabling governments to connect more schools within the same budget. Building on these results, UNICEF plans to support the connection of 500,000 African schools by 2030, with expectations of transformative impact.
“UNICEF’s long track record in global procurement shows how investment, innovation, and equity can drive change,” said Jaime Archundia, Giga Procurement and Market Development Lead. “By equipping and connecting schools, UNICEF builds the foundation for resilient education systems that open economic opportunity for every child.”
Research from the Economist Intelligence Unit supports this view, showing that improved school connectivity increases learning-adjusted years of schooling and can boost GDP per capita.
This link between connectivity and economic growth operates in multiple ways. Better-educated workers tend to be more productive, which fuels economic expansion. With higher education levels, workers earn more and spend more, creating increased demand for goods and services. Additionally, when citizens gain digital skills, they can participate in new economic sectors and industries further accelerating growth.
Connected schools also serve as digital hubs for surrounding communities. Local businesses gain access to online markets, residents benefit from financial inclusion, and communities can quickly access critical information during emergencies. Entrepreneurs can tap into digital marketplaces and global supply chains, generating new opportunities for growth.
In Sierra Leone, a 2021 Giga assessment estimated that US$59 million in upfront investment plus US$34 million in annual service fees would be needed to connect 10,995 schools, potentially driving 2.2 percent GDP growth, equal to about US$300 million. Since then, regulatory reforms and wider market competition, including the entry of Low Earth Orbit satellite providers, have helped reduce connectivity costs and expand access.
In Niger, Giga has outlined several interventions that could enable the cost-effective connection of 19,355 schools an investment projected to generate 1.8 percent GDP growth, equivalent to US$525 million.
These country assessments build on 2021 findings by the Economist Intelligence Unit, which reported that a 10 percent increase in school connectivity can raise GDP per capita by 1.1 percent. The analysis further suggests that if countries like Niger reach the school connectivity levels of Finland, GDP per capita could increase by up to 20 percent.
“Enabling children to have every possible opportunity is a very powerful motivator for us at UNICEF,” said Christopher Alagna, Giga Technical Specialist. “For our partners in government, maximizing growth, jobs, and economic opportunity is also a vital driver.”
Connectivity alone, however, is not enough to drive economic transformation. Teachers and students require appropriate devices, digital content, and training to make meaningful use of the internet. When school connections are extended to surrounding communities, the impact of connectivity becomes even broader supporting learning, economic activity, and community development.
UNICEF estimates that connecting all 500,000 schools in Africa by 2030 will require US$6 billion in capital investments over five years, along with US$550 million annually in operational costs. “When you think about what internet access can unlock for individuals, communities, and entire countries, investing US$6 billion is a smart decision,” Alagna said.