By Modupe Gbadeyanka

It was a joyous moment recently at the headquarters of Airtel Nigeria in Lagos as Airtel Africa Foundation joined others across the globe to celebrate the International Volunteer Day 2025.

The organisation celebrated the impact of the Employee Volunteer Programme (EVP), a flagship initiative by which employees volunteer their time, expertise, and personal resources to advancing the foundation’s mission across 14 African markets.

The EVP has become a cornerstone of Airtel Africa Foundation’s community impact, empowering employees to drive local CSR initiatives and champion causes that promote education, digital skills, environmental responsibility, and youth empowerment.

Over the years, the EVP in Nigeria has delivered tangible outcomes through numerous impactful initiatives such as financial donations to the Lagos State Government COVID-19 control efforts.

In 2025 alone, volunteers have contributed more than 200 hours of service, reaching over 100,000 beneficiaries.

Through the programme, volunteers have contributed significantly to initiatives such as the International Day of Education Essay Competition, Teacher-for-a-Day sessions, beach clean-ups, market sensitisation exercises to reduce plastic waste, and the Airtel-3MTT NextGen Fellowship for young Nigerians.

“International Volunteer Day reminds us that real impact begins with people who are willing to show up and serve.

“Today, we honour the incredible dedication of Airtel employees, whose selfless commitment of time and talent is the engine behind our progress.

“Their contribution is the backbone of our work and the reason we continue to transform communities across Africa,” the chief executive of Airtel Nigeria, Mr Dinesh Balsingh, commented.

On his part, the Director of Corporate Communications and CSR at Airtel Nigeria, Mr Femi Adeniran, said, “Volunteering is at the heart of who we are.

“Behind every empowered learner, every restored environment, and every connected community is an individual who believed in making a difference, and we are thankful for your participation.

“Our mission remains clear: to use technology, resources, and our collective humanity to build a digitally inclusive, socially responsible, and sustainable Africa.”

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) said on Monday that the Nigerian government has rescued around 100 schoolchildren who were abducted last month from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State.

According to a CAN spokesperson in Niger State, Mr Daniel Atori, the rescue was confirmed by government officials on Monday morning, without providing further details.

On November 21, gunmen attacked St. Mary’s Catholic boarding school in Papiri, a hamlet in Niger state, and abducted 315 people comprising over 300 pupils and students, including 12 teachers.

Fifty pupils managed to escape with help of farmers in the following hours, but since then, there had been no update on the whereabouts or conditions of the other children.

Speaking then, the chairman of the Niger state chapter of CAN and Catholic bishop of Kontagora diocese, Mr Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, said the pupils regained freedom were quietly reunited with their families.

“Note that, in the primary section out of the total number of 430 pupils we have in the school, 377 of them are boarders and the remaining 53 others are non boarders.

“Currently, aside from the 50 pupils that escaped and have returned home, we have 141 pupils who were not carried away.

“As it stands now, we have 236 pupils, another 3 children who belong to our staff, 14 Secondary students making a total 253 children including 12 members of staff with the abductors,” he said.

However, it is not clear how the Nigerian government secured the freedom of the students. As of press time, the government has not made any comment regarding the issue.

By Adedapo Adesanya

President Bola Tinubu has sought more help from France to fight widespread security challenges in the country, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday.

Mr Macron said he had a phone call with Mr Tinubu yesterday, where he conveyed France’s support to Nigeria as it grapples with several security challenges, “particularly the terrorist threat in the North.”

“At his request, we will strengthen our partnership with the authorities and our support for the affected populations. We call on all our partners to step up their engagement,” Mr Macron said in a post on X.

“No one can remain a spectator,” he added.

His comments come amid heightened global attention on Nigeria’s internal security challenges, following repeated claims by the United States President, Mr Donald Trump, that Christian communities in the northern part of the country were facing increasing persecution.

The Nigerian government has said it welcomes help to fight insecurity as long as its sovereignty is respected, rightfully rejecting the claims which it says misrepresent a complex security situation in which armed groups target both faith groups.

Due to its exit from some of its former French colonies, France has sought fresh allies on the African continent, with the call between both presidents reiterating the growing relationship. France has previously supported efforts to curtail the actions of armed groups.