Nairobi:Airtel Africa Plc has announced a significant financial performance for the half-year ending September 30, 2026, with a 28.2 percent rise in revenue to US$3.82 billion. This growth is attributed to continued expansion in data and mobile money services across its 14 African markets.
According to Kenya News Agency, the company’s revenue in constant currency grew by 20.8 percent, demonstrating persistent demand for mobile connectivity and digital financial services. The profit after tax saw a 20.5 percent increase, reaching US$452 million compared to US$376 million in the same period last year. Furthermore, the underlying EBITDA rose by 23.5 percent in constant currency to US$1.92 billion.
The company’s performance was driven by robust growth across its geographical regions. Nigeria experienced a 27 percent revenue increase in constant currency, East Africa grew by 18.2 percent, and Francophone Africa saw a 19.2 percent rise. Notably, data services contributed significantly, with revenue increasing by 28 percent in constant currency to US$1.57 billion, accounting for about half of the total mobile services revenue.
The mobile money segment also showed impressive growth, with a 25.8 percent revenue increase in constant currency to US$840 million. The customer base expanded by 22.4 percent to 60.9 million, boosted by wider distribution networks and increased digital adoption. The annualized total processed value reached US$275 billion in the second quarter, marking a 36.5 percent growth.
Airtel Africa’s total customer base rose by 11.6 percent to 193.9 million, indicating a sustained demand for its telecommunications and digital financial services. CEO Sunil Taldar commented on the strong operating and financial performance, highlighting the strategic importance of the recent IPO of Airtel Money and the continued investment in network expansion and service quality enhancement.
The CEO also emphasized the company’s focus on leveraging AI to enhance customer understanding, accelerate innovation, and improve fraud detection. Despite challenges from rising fuel costs, Airtel Africa achieved a record underlying EBITDA margin of 50.4 percent in Q2 ’27, driven by operational discipline and cost efficiency measures.
Looking forward, Taldar expressed confidence in the company’s growth trajectory and highlighted the importance of mobile money in driving financial inclusion. He assured that the company’s efforts in expanding its product ecosystem and maintaining a strong balance sheet would support sustainable growth and long-term shareholder value.
Source Kenya News Agency
