Airtel Africa Revenue Rises 28.2% to $3.823 Billion in First Half
Key Facts
Airtel Africa said revenue reached $3.823 billion in the half year ended September 30, 2026, up 28.2% on a reported-currency basis and 20.8% in constant currency compared with the same period a year earlier. The group reported revenue of $2.982 billion in the half year ended September 30, 2025. The difference between the two growth rates highlights the effect of exchange-rate movements on reported revenue, while growth remained clear after excluding them. The company said performance spanned its African markets, with revenue growth varying across regions. Nigeria recorded the fastest regional growth among the markets cited, while other regions continued to post strong increases.
The group’s customer base grew 11.6% to 193.9 million at September 30, 2026. Data customers increased 15% to 89.9 million, while mobile money customers rose 22.4% to 60.9 million. Airtel Africa said demand for mobile money services remained strong, pointing to an expanding user base for its financial platform alongside growth in telecoms services. This expansion gives the company a broader base from which to offer data and digital payment services in its markets. The figures reflect growth across more than one operating segment during the half, not just in total subscribers.
Revenue growth in constant currency varied by geography, reaching 27.0% in Nigeria and 18.2% in East Africa. In Francophone Africa, revenue growth accelerated to 19.2% during the half, the company said. The variation shows that expansion was not uniform across the group’s regions, with Nigeria’s growth exceeding the rates in the other two regions. The results presented here did not provide separate revenue figures for each region, but did show growth rates in constant currency. The comparison allows a view of market performance without the effect of converting revenue into dollars.
By service, data revenue rose to $1.571 billion from $1.161 billion in the comparable period, an increase of 35.3% on a reported-currency basis. Mobile money revenue reached $840 million, compared with $623 million a year earlier, up 34.8% on the same basis. Revenue growth in both services exceeded the group’s reported revenue growth of 28.2%. The results therefore combine an increase in customer numbers with higher revenue in data and mobile money services. The year-on-year comparison shows that both activities expanded faster than the group’s total revenue during the period.
The company attributed data growth to smartphone penetration rising to 51.6% and monthly data usage per smartphone customer increasing to 13.3 gigabytes, from 10.1 gigabytes in the previous half. Average revenue per data customer also grew 10.7% in constant currency. Airtel Africa said higher smartphone penetration and increased consumption per user contributed to business growth. These indicators are consistent with data revenue rising 35.3% to $1.571 billion, alongside an increase in the data customer base to 89.9 million. The service thus combined a broader customer base with higher usage and revenue per customer.
Profitability metrics also improved, with underlying operating profit reaching $1.639 billion, up 32.7% on a reported-currency basis. Profit before tax rose to $844 million from $520 million in the comparable period. Growth in underlying operating profit exceeded reported revenue growth of 28.2% during the half. These figures provide a picture of the group’s performance following revenue growth across its services and regions. The available data did not detail the contribution of each market or service to the increase in profit before tax.
The board recommended an interim dividend of 2.84 cents per share for the 2025/26 financial year. The company set November 6, 2026, as the ex-dividend date on the London Stock Exchange, with payment due on December 12, 2026. Airtel Africa shares closed at 260.8 pence on October 30, 2026, compared with 274.2 pence at the previous day’s close, according to EL7 data. The daily decline came alongside the results and cash dividend announcement, but on its own does not establish the market’s reaction to the half-year results. The upcoming dividend dates remain the next practical milestone for shareholders cited in the company’s announcement.