The Ivory Coast National team, trained through this programme, is set to compete in both regional and international Maths Olympiads.

Axian Telecom has partnered with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Africa Programme's education initiative in Ivory Coast.

The MIT-Africa Programme, which is dedicated to promoting education in the region, has developed the MIT-Africa International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) programme.

According to Axian, this initiative is a key component of MIT's Global Teaching Lab programme, which permits students to travel to African countries to train local teams for contests, such as the IMO and the Pan-African Math Olympiad. Axian Telecom is funding the MIT Africa IMO program in Ivory Coast.

The Ivory Coast National team, trained through this programme, is set to compete in both regional and international Maths Olympiads.

Axian says it aims to increase the visibility of African talent in STEM subjects.

Ari Jacobovits, MD, MIT-Africa Programme, said: “Every hour of every day Africans make up a larger and larger share of the global population – and most importantly, the global youth population.

“To talk about the future is to talk about Africa. At the same time, the quality of our future will largely be determined by how well we address the challenges of AI, climate, and health.

“The foundational skill required to properly address these challenges is mathematics. It’s important to make these investments now, not only because our future depends on it, but because it’s clear that the talent is currently available and eager to make the most of these opportunities.”

Stéphane Oudin, CEO, Axian Telecom, said: “We believe education changes lives and are honoured to be part of a transformative journey, empowering a better future for the African youth.”