NAIROBI, Kenya, July 27, 2025 — Airtel Africa Plc has reported a robust 22.4% rise in revenue for the first quarter of its 2026 financial year, buoyed by strong performance across its markets and particularly in East Africa, where growth remained consistent and demand for digital and financial services continued to climb.
For the quarter ending June 30, 2025, the Group posted $1.415 billion in revenue, with constant currency growth of 24.9%.
East Africa contributed $498 million, marking a 17.6% year-on-year increase in reported currency.
The company attributed this regional uptick to a 9.8% growth in customer base and strong gains in both voice and data services, the latter recording a 21.4% revenue surge.
“Our operational momentum remains strong,” said CEO Sunil Taldar in a trading update.
“We’re seeing sustained demand across our markets, reflecting both the success of our customer-centric strategy and our relentless push for digital inclusion.”
Airtel’s data business was a key driver, with data usage soaring 47.4% and data Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) rising 18.5%.
The number of data subscribers hit 75.6 million, boosted by a 4.3 percentage point increase in smartphone penetration to 45.9%.
The telco also highlighted the role of Airtel Money, its mobile financial service, in delivering inclusive growth. Mobile money customers grew 16.1% to 45.8 million, helping drive a 35% jump in annualized transaction value to $162 billion.
Airtel said it sees mobile money as central to its future, especially in unlocking financial services for underserved populations.
Taldar also touted Airtel’s recent launch of Airtel Spam Alert, an AI-powered feature aimed at building trust and enhancing security across its networks.
“This is part of our broader mission to simplify the customer experience and reduce barriers to smartphone and internet access,” he noted.
The Group’s earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) climbed nearly 30% to $679 million, pushing EBITDA margins up to 48.0% from 45.3% last year, aided by operational efficiency and stable fuel costs.
Profit after tax saw a remarkable turnaround, jumping to $156 million from just $31 million in the same quarter last year.
This improvement came largely from a $22 million FX gain linked to a strengthening of the Central African franc, offsetting previous losses tied to the Nigerian naira.
Other key highlights include:
•Voice revenue rose 13.9% across the Group.
•Mobile money revenue increased 30.3% in constant currency.
•Airtel added over 2,300 new sites and expanded its fibre network by 2,700 km, pushing 4G coverage to 74.7%.
•Capex for the quarter stood at $121 million, with full-year guidance unchanged at between $725 million and $750 million.
•Debt localisation efforts saw 95% of operating company debt now held in local currencies.
•Leverage increased to 2.2x, reflecting tower contract lease renewals, though lease-adjusted leverage held steady at 0.9x.
•The company returned $16.9 million to shareholders through share buybacks during the quarter.
As Airtel Africa continues its aggressive digital expansion across the continent, the company says it is focused on scaling infrastructure, driving smartphone adoption, and tapping into the continent’s massive potential for mobile-led financial inclusion.
“With a strong balance sheet and committed network investments, we remain confident in our ability to meet rising demand and improve lives across Africa,” Taldar said.
