Airtel Africa’s customers increased from 156.6 million to 173.8 million, an 11 per cent increase from the previous year.
- Airtel Africa’s customers increased from 156.6 million to 173.8 million, an 11 per cent increase from the previous year.
- The company’s successful half-year ended September 30, 2025 (H1’26) was fueled by ongoing network expansion, consistent customer demand, and the...
- Airtel Money customers increased by 20% to 49.8 million Operationally, Airtel Africa kept up its digital adoption and customer acquisition pace.
- Basic earnings per share increased by an astounding 908.6 per cent, from 0.8 to 8.3 cents.
Keep reading for the full breakdown on Airtel Africa — everything you need to know is covered below.
The company’s successful half-year ended September 30, 2025 (H1’26) was fueled by ongoing network expansion, consistent customer demand, and the successful implementation of its strategic plans.
The business achieved notable operational advancements during the period. More than 2,350 new locations were added, increasing the total to over 38,300 and reaching 81.5 per cent population coverage.
One significant milestone in network modernisation has been reached: 98.5 per cent of sites are now 4G-enabled. To reach over 81,000 km, Airtel added about 4,000 km to its fibre network.
Additionally, rapid customer growth and the successful integration of the MyAirtel app, which serves as the foundation for Airtel Money’s single-platform strategy for telecom and mobile money services, have contributed to the continued acceleration of digital adoption.
Currency appreciation in essential markets bolstered significant increases in the company’s customer base and financial metrics, improving reported currency results.
Airtel Money customers increased by 20% to 49.8 million
Operationally, Airtel Africa kept up its digital adoption and customer acquisition pace. As evidenced by the success of its financial inclusion strategy, mobile money customers increased by 20 per cent to 49.8 million, while data customers increased by 18.4 per cent to 78.1 million. Smartphone adoption increased by 3.8 percentage points to 46.8 per cent.
Data ARPU increased by 16.8 per cent in constant currency and 14.8 per cent in reported terms, while data traffic increased by 45 per cent. The total payment volume (TPV) of mobile money, annualised from Q2’26, climbed by 35.9 per cent to surpass $193 billion.
Airtel Africa’s revenue climbed 25.8% to $3 million
The group’s finances showed strong growth in all crucial areas. Due to cost reductions and operational leverage, revenue climbed 25.8 per cent to $2,982 million for the half-year, while EBITDA increased 33.2 per cent to $1,447 million.
Operating profit climbed 35.9 per cent to $959 million, and profit after tax jumped 375.3 per cent to $376 million from $79 million in the prior period.
Basic earnings per share increased by an astounding 908.6 per cent, from 0.8 to 8.3 cents. A $90 million derivative and foreign exchange gain helped to offset the losses from the devaluation of the Nigerian naira the previous year, resulting in a dramatic increase in profitability.
Data revenue increased by 37% to $1.16 million
With data revenue increasing by 37 per cent in constant currency to $1,161 million, data services surpassed voice as the most significant contributor in terms of revenue composition. While mobile money revenue increased by 30.2 per cent to $623 million, voice revenue increased by 13.2 per cent to $1,100 million. With Q2’26 margins hitting 49 per cent, the EBITDA margin increased 268 basis points to 48.5 per cent.
Additionally, Airtel Africa maintained careful capital management and strengthened its balance sheet. Capital expenditure amounted to $318 million, consistent with the prior year, and full-year capex guidance was raised to between $875 million and $900 million.
Net debt to EBITDA decreased from 2.3x to 2.1x, indicating an improvement in leverage. With roughly 95 per cent of OpCo’s debt now denominated in local currency, debt localisation has advanced further, lowering exposure to fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.
The company confirmed that its $100 million share buyback program is still on track to be completed by March 31, 2026, and announced an interim dividend of 2.84 cents per share, a 9.2 per cent increase year over year.
Airtel Africa’s strong revenue performance
The company’s strong revenue performance, up 24.5 per cent in constant currency, combined with increased cost efficiency, has pushed EBITDA margins to 49 per cent in Q2 ’26, according to Chief Executive Officer Sunil Taldar.
Taldar expressed confidence in Airtel Africa’s growth trajectory and underlined that the business can accelerate investments and realise the full growth potential of its African markets thanks to its solid financial foundation.
“Our strategy has been focused on providing a superior customer experience, and the strength of these results is a testament to the initiatives that we have been implementing across the business. Digital innovation is a core focus, and we’re pleased to see the growing adoption of our MyAirtel app as we seek to deepen customer engagement and simplify the customer journey. Furthermore, our network continues to scale as we build additional capacity to facilitate the rise in both digital and financial inclusion. The increase in smartphone penetration to 46.8% reflects the substantial demand for data services across our markets but also highlights the scale of the opportunity to further develop the digital economy,” Sunil Taldar, CEO, Airtel Africa, emphasised.
This performance highlights the group’s operational effectiveness and resilience in the face of shifting market conditions throughout Africa.