Airtel Africa has reported a strong start to its 2026/27 financial year, posting double-digit growth across its telecommunications and mobile money businesses as customer numbers, data usage, and digital financial transactions continued to surge across its 14 African markets.
In results for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, the company reported revenue of US$1.853 billion, representing a 31% increase from the same period last year. On a constant currency basis, revenue grew 21.1%, driven by sustained expansion in mobile services and Airtel Money.
The group’s customer base rose 11.6% to 189 million subscribers, while data customers increased 15.5% to 87.3 million. Smartphone adoption also continued to accelerate, with penetration reaching 51%, helping drive average monthly data consumption from 7.8GB to 10.6GB per customer. This translated into a 56.3% increase in data traffic across Airtel’s network.
Airtel Money remained one of the company’s fastest-growing businesses. The platform processed annualized transactions worth more than US$245 billion, a 51.5% increase, while its customer base expanded 23.3% to 56.5 million users. The growth reflects increasing adoption of digital financial services and broader use of mobile payments across Airtel’s markets.
Financially, the company recorded EBITDA of US$928 million, up 36.6%, with the EBITDA margin improving from 48.0% to 50.1% despite rising energy costs linked to global geopolitical developments.
Profit after tax increased 27% to US$198 million, compared with US$156 million a year earlier. Basic earnings per share rose to 4.4 US cents, while earnings before exceptional items climbed to 5.4 US cents, reflecting stronger operational performance.
Airtel also significantly increased investment in its network infrastructure during the quarter. Capital expenditure reached US$389 million, more than triple the US$121 million invested during the same period last year. The company deployed more than 920 new network sites, marking its largest first-quarter rollout, and expanded its fibre network to 82,100 kilometers to improve coverage, capacity, and service quality.
The company’s financial position also strengthened, with leverage declining from 2.2 times to 1.7 times, supported by higher earnings. Airtel’s Board additionally approved a share buyback program covering up to 1% of issued share capital, purchasing approximately 10.2 million shares worth US$46.6 million by the end of June.
Chief Executive Officer Sunil Taldar said the results demonstrate the success of Airtel Africa’s strategy of investing in customer experience, digital transformation, and network expansion.
He said increasing smartphone adoption, greater use of artificial intelligence, and continued digitization are improving customer journeys while supporting sustainable long-term growth. Taldar added that Airtel Money continues to deepen financial inclusion across Africa, with transaction volumes exceeding US$245 billion annually.
The company also confirmed that London remains its preferred venue for the planned listing of Airtel Money later in 2026, a move it believes will broaden access to international investors and unlock additional value for one of Africa’s largest fintech platforms.
While Airtel expects higher energy prices to create inflationary pressure in the coming quarters, management said ongoing cost-efficiency measures and continued investment in network infrastructure will position the company to benefit from Africa’s rapidly expanding digital economy.
Operating in 14 countries across sub-Saharan Africa, Airtel Africa provides mobile voice, data, and mobile money services, with its strategy centered on expanding digital connectivity and financial inclusion while improving customer experience across the continent.
