MTN Group has announced the 2026 edition of its employee volunteer programme, 21 Days of Y’ello Care, scheduled to run from June 1 to June 21.
The campaign, now in its 19th year, involves MTN employees supporting community projects in areas such as education, healthcare, youth development and economic empowerment.
This year’s theme is “Expand Equitable Health for Every Community.”
According to the company, the focus on healthcare follows concerns over the outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
MTN Group chief sustainability and corporate affairs officer Nompilo Morafo said health challenges across Africa require cooperation and early intervention.
“Health risks do not stop at borders. This reminds us that Africa’s future will be shaped by our ability to act together early, decisively, and at scale,” Mr Morafo said.
The company said healthcare access remains a challenge in many rural and underserved communities across Africa.
As part of the 2026 campaign, MTN employees and partners will carry out projects including mobile clinics, community outreach, digital health education, telemedicine services, health screening and prevention programmes.
The company added that digital tools, including artificial intelligence and data analytics, can improve diagnostics, healthcare access and disease surveillance.
Morafo said digital innovation offers an opportunity to improve healthcare delivery in underserved communities.
Over the past six years, MTN said more than 14,000 volunteers have participated in the Y’ello Care campaign, contributing over 56,000 hours of community service and reaching more than 107,000 people.
Meanwhile, the MTN Foundation has opened nominations for the 2026 phase of its “What Can We Do Together (WCWDT)” initiative.
The programme invites Nigerians to nominate 40 public primary healthcare centres and 15 public secondary school science laboratories for renovation and equipment support.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education Jamiu Alli-Balogun, described the initiative as a collaborative development effort.
“What is important is not just the scale, but the nature of these interventions. They are identified by communities, owned by communities, and delivered transparently,” he said.
MTN Foundation director Etim Amana said the initiative was designed around partnership and service to communities.
Executive director of the MTN Foundation Odunayo Sanya said the programme would help improve science education and support students interested in science-related fields.
Since the initiative began, the foundation said it has invested over N4 billion in social infrastructure projects, including upgrades of 181 primary healthcare centres and more than 110 science laboratories across the country.
The projects have reached 623 communities in 32 states and more than 517 local government areas.
For the 2026 cycle, the foundation said each state and the Federal Capital Territory would benefit from at least one healthcare intervention, while at least two secondary schools from each geopolitical zone would be selected for science laboratory upgrades.
The nomination process opened on May 5 and will close on June 8.
Nigerians can submit nominations through the MTN website or by sending “MTN” via SMS to 421.
