Airtel Africa has reported significant progress in expanding digital connectivity, advancing financial inclusion and reducing the environmental impact of its operations, according to its newly released Sustainability Report 2026.
The telecommunications and mobile money provider, which operates in 14 African countries, said its investments during the 2025/26 financial year continued to improve access to communications, digital financial services and educational opportunities for millions of people, particularly in underserved and rural communities across sub-Saharan Africa.
The report highlights the company’s continued expansion of network infrastructure, growing adoption of smartphones and digital services, and increased investment in sustainable business practices aimed at supporting long-term economic development.
“Our commitment is to ensure that connectivity, financial services and digital education become accessible to more people across Africa,” said Airtel Africa Chief Executive Officer Sunil Taldar.
“Across Africa, access to connectivity, financial services and digital education is increasingly essential to economic opportunity.
This year, we continued to grow network coverage, smartphone adoption and Airtel Money services, while strengthening partnerships that extend our impact.”
Taldar added that sustainability remains central to the company’s business strategy, with continued investments in energy efficiency helping reduce dependence on diesel while strengthening operational resilience.
The report shows that Airtel Africa’s mobile network now covers 81.9 percent of the population across its markets, up from 81.2 percent a year earlier, while rural coverage increased to 73.1 percent.
Demand for digital services also continued to rise. Data customer penetration reached 45.9 percent, while smartphone penetration climbed to 49.5 percent, reflecting broader access to internet-enabled services.
The company’s digital ecosystem also recorded strong growth, with transactions through the MyAirtel application increasing by 80 percent to US$8.3 billion, supported by 10.5 million monthly active users.
Financial inclusion remained one of Airtel Africa’s strongest growth areas. Its Airtel Money platform expanded to more than 54 million customers, compared with 44.6 million the previous year, while the total value of transactions processed reached approximately US$196 billion, up sharply from US$136 billion.
Women account for 44.1 percent of Airtel Money customers, underscoring the platform’s continued role in broadening access to financial services.
The company also expanded its Airtel Money agent network to 2.4 million agents, creating additional employment opportunities while extending access to financial services in communities with limited banking infrastructure.
Beyond financial services, Airtel Africa continued investing in education through the Airtel Africa Foundation’s partnership with UNICEF.
As of March 31, 2026, the initiative had connected 3,043 schools to the internet free of charge, an increase from 2,176 schools the previous year.
Within its workforce, women represented 29.9 percent of employees, reflecting continued efforts to strengthen gender representation across the Group.
On the environmental front, Airtel Africa accelerated its transition toward cleaner energy by converting more than 950 telecommunications sites from off-grid to on-grid electricity, significantly reducing reliance on diesel-powered generators.
These efforts helped reduce diesel consumption by 9.1 million litres during the reporting period.
The company also reported that 94 percent of all waste generated from its operations was recycled, up from 93 percent in the previous year.
The Sustainability Report 2026 was prepared in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards and the GSMA telecommunications industry disclosures, outlining Airtel Africa’s environmental, social and governance performance across its operations.