By Felix Njenga
Airtel Africa PLC has announced a landmark financial performance for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026, with group revenue soaring by 29.5% to reach $6,415 billion (about KSh826 billion).
The telecommunications giant attributed this surge to a massive uptick in data consumption, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in operations, and a robust expansion of its mobile money ecosystem. The results highlight a significant turnaround, with Profit After Tax jumping to $813 million, a dramatic increase from the $328 million reported the previous year. This growth was bolstered by a stabilized currency environment and foreign exchange gains totaling $127 million.
Underpinning the company’s success is a fundamental shift in how African consumers use mobile technology. For the first time, data revenue has become the largest component of Group revenues, growing by 35.2% in constant currency. The number of smartphone users rose by 22% to 91 million, while total data traffic surged by nearly 50%, with the average customer now consuming 8.9 GB of data per month. To support this demand, Airtel rolled out over 3,250 new sites and expanded its fiber network to nearly 82,000 km.
Sunil Taldar, CEO of Airtel Africa, noted that AI has been pivotal in this growth. He stated that the adoption of new digital technologies and AI has been central to unlocking efficiencies, from site-level network optimization to streamlining customer onboarding via the myAirtel app. The Group saw varied but strong performance across its 14-country footprint. Nigeria remained a powerhouse with a staggering 47.5% revenue growth in constant currency, aided by recent tariff adjustments. East Africa’s revenue reached $2,192 million, up 18.9% in reported currency, supported by the appreciation of the Zambian kwacha and the Ugandan and Tanzanian shillings. Meanwhile, growth in Francophone Africa nearly doubled, accelerating to 17.1% compared to 9.5% in the previous year.
Airtel Money continues to evolve into a dominant financial services platform. The mobile money arm saw its customer base grow to 54.1 million, with the annualized Total Processed Value exceeding $215 billion. Despite the success, Taldar revealed that geopolitical developments have shifted the timeline for the highly anticipated Airtel Money IPO. He confirmed that the company remains committed to the listing as market conditions allow, with the intention of undertaking the IPO in the second half of 2026.
While the company celebrated a record-high EBITDA margin of 50.3% in the final quarter, leadership remains cautious. Rising energy costs linked to global geopolitical tensions are expected to create inflationary pressure in the near term. To counter these headwinds, Airtel has announced an accelerated investment strategy, with capital expenditure projected to rise to $1.1 billion for the next financial year. This funding will focus on 5G expansion, which is already active in five markets including Malawi, as well as new ventures in data centers and home broadband. Taldar concluded by stating that the strategy remains focused on maximizing value from core businesses while investing in areas that advance digital and financial inclusion, thanking regulators and the company’s 183.5 million customers for their continued loyalty.
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