Airtel Africa reports record margins and 28% revenue growth

Airtel Africa has reported strong financial results for the half year ending September 30, 2026, characterized by record profit margins and significant growth across its 14 African markets. Reported revenue rose 28.2% to $3,823 million, driven by a 28% increase in data revenue and a 25.8% rise in mobile money revenue in constant currency.

The company’s total customer base grew 11.6% to 193.9 million, with mobile money customers increasing by 22.4% to 60.9 million. Smartphone penetration reached 51.6%, contributing to higher data usage per customer. Underlying EBITDA increased to $1,921 million, resulting in a second-quarter margin of 50.4%.

Regional performance remained robust, with Nigeria seeing 24.4% growth in the second quarter, followed by Francophone Africa at 20.3% and East Africa at 18.6%. Capital expenditure more than doubled to $657 million as the group accelerated network investment.