Gurugram, September 2, 2025 — Indus Towers Limited, India’s largest telecom tower operator, is expanding overseas for the first time with plans to enter Nigeria, Uganda, and Zambia, targeting Africa’s fast-growing telecom sector.
The decision, cleared by the Board on Tuesday, comes as the company seeks revenue diversification and operational scale beyond India’s saturated market. Indus will leverage its financial strength and anchor client Bharti Airtel, which operates in 14 African countries.
Indus currently manages 251,773 towers across India, making it one of the world’s largest tower infrastructure providers. Its shared model has cut costs for operators while supporting green energy adoption and digital infrastructure such as smart poles and public Wi-Fi.
“The Board’s approval to enter Africa unlocks our vision for sustainable growth and value creation,” said Prachur Sah, MD & CEO of Indus Towers. “By bringing cost-efficient and innovative solutions, we aim to become the preferred tower partner in Africa.”
The move, however, positions Indus against entrenched African players such as IHS Towers, which manages more than 40,000 sites across the continent, and Helios Towers, with over 14,000 sites in 10 markets.
Both companies have capitalized on surging mobile penetration and data demand in Africa, underscoring the competitive landscape Indus must navigate.
In Q1 FY26, Indus posted revenue of ₹8,057.6 crore (approx. US$964 million), up 9.1% year-on-year. Net profit slipped 9.8% to ₹1,736.8 crore (US$208 million), weighed down by higher operating costs, particularly fuel and power.
The Africa foray also aligns with the Government of India’s policy encouraging Indian enterprises to expand globally and evolve into multinational players.
Indus has said it will evaluate entry into additional markets across Airtel’s African footprint once its initial operations stabilize.
The rollout remains subject to regulatory approvals in the respective countries. If successful, Indus could transform from a domestic leader into a global telecom infrastructure player, tapping into Africa’s young population and rapidly expanding digital economy.
