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The Giga initiative, a joint project of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), has opened applications for the 2025 edition of its accelerator programme. The programme is designed to help technology innovators develop solutions that will connect schools around the world to the internet and ensure that millions of children have access to digital learning opportunities.
The Giga Accelerator Programme 2025 will provide up to $50,000 in equity-free funding to selected organisations. The organisers explained that the funding is meant to support projects that are addressing the challenge of poor or non-existent school internet connectivity in underserved communities. According to details shared on the official website, the programme will also give participants access to mentorship from global technology experts, networking opportunities with industry leaders and investors, and exposure at global technology events such as the Mobile World Congress and the Giga Connectivity Forum.
The programme will run virtually but will be anchored at the Giga Technology Centre in Barcelona, Spain. Two in-person events have been scheduled to take place in Barcelona in December 2025 and March 2026, where selected innovators will gather to showcase their progress, interact with investors and policy leaders, and present their solutions at a Demo Day.
To qualify for the accelerator, applicants must be legally registered organisations based in ITU member countries, which includes Nigeria. The organisers also stated that applicants should have a product that is at least at Technology Readiness Level 4, meaning that the idea should already have a prototype or proof of concept. Another key requirement is a commitment to open-source. Projects should either already be open-source or be ready to adopt an open-source approach before the programme ends.
The Giga initiative, which started in 2019, has a goal of connecting every school in the world to the internet by 2030. It aims to close the digital divide that keeps millions of children, especially in low-income and rural areas, away from online learning and global opportunities. The initiative believes that reliable and affordable internet access is no longer a luxury but a necessity for education, development and participation in the modern economy.
The accelerator is therefore focusing on solutions that can provide sustainable and affordable internet access in areas with poor infrastructure, especially rural and peri-urban communities. Technologies that can work in challenging environments, adapt to different terrains, and provide reliable connectivity are of particular interest. Solutions that lower the cost of connectivity while ensuring long-term sustainability are also considered important.
Applications for the Giga Accelerator Programme 2025 will close on September 21, 2025. Interested applicants are expected to submit their proposals through the official Giga platform.
For Nigerian startups, this programme provides a unique opportunity. With the country still facing significant challenges in ensuring internet access for schools, innovators who are developing solutions in connectivity, education technology, and digital access can benefit from both the funding and the global exposure. Many schools in rural Nigeria still struggle with poor or no internet service, and this has continued to affect the quality of education. Projects that provide low-cost internet models, mesh networks, or offline-first digital learning platforms stand a strong chance of being impactful under this accelerator.
The $50,000 funding, although not equity-based, can help startups scale their solutions faster, while mentorship from global experts offers guidance on how to make the solutions more effective and sustainable. In addition, the networking opportunities with telecom companies and investors can help Nigerian innovators secure partnerships that will allow their solutions to reach more schools.
Global attention is shifting to how to make internet access universal and equitable, and the Giga Accelerator Programme 2025 is one of the platforms providing innovators with both resources and visibility. Nigerian entrepreneurs with ideas and prototypes that can transform school connectivity are encouraged to seize this chance to turn their innovation into real impact.
Applications are now open and will run until September 21, 2025.
