Airtel Africa Plc reported a 20.5% improve in profit after tax to $452 million for the six months ended September 30, 2026, as income and working profit grew throughout its telecommunications and cellular cash companies.
The outcomes, launched on October 30, 2026, additionally confirmed increased community funding, development in knowledge providers and a rise within the interim dividend.
However, rising finance prices continued to weigh on the corporate’s monetary efficiency.
The firm’s income rose by 28.2% in reported forex to $3.823 billion, from $2.982 billion within the corresponding interval of 2025.
Operating profit elevated by 34.2% to $1.286 billion, whereas underlying earnings earlier than curiosity, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 32.8% to $1.921 billion.
Data providers drive development in Nigeria
Airtel Africa’s Nigerian enterprise recorded income development of 24.4% in fixed forex throughout the second quarter of its 2027 monetary yr, supported by development throughout its telecommunications and cellular cash operations.
Across the group, knowledge income grew by 28% in fixed forex, accounting for roughly half of complete cellular providers income, in contrast with 46.5% within the corresponding interval a yr earlier.
The development mirrored a 15% improve within the knowledge buyer base to 89.9 million and a ten.7% rise in knowledge common income per person (ARPU) in fixed forex. The complete buyer base elevated by 11.6% to 193.9 million, from 173.8 million a yr earlier.
Smartphone penetration elevated to 51.6%, whereas smartphone knowledge utilization per buyer rose to 13.3GB per thirty days from 10.1GB.
- “The investment case remains as compelling as ever, supported by favourable demographic and economic trends, strong demand for data and financial services, and smartphones on our network increasing to over 100 million, with substantial headroom for further adoption,” Airtel Africa’s Chief Executive Officer, Sunil Taldar stated.
Taldar additionally highlighted the corporate’s use of synthetic intelligence to enhance buyer expertise and strengthen its operations.
Revenue and working profit improve
Revenue grew by 20.8% in fixed forex, whereas underlying EBITDA elevated by 23.5%, reflecting development throughout the group’s markets.
The underlying EBITDA margin improved to 50.3% from 48.5%, a rise of 172 foundation factors. In the second quarter of the 2027 monetary yr, the margin reached 50.4%, in contrast with 50.1% within the previous quarter.
Profit earlier than tax rose to $814 million from $656 million. Basic earnings per share elevated to 10.2 US cents from 8.3 US cents, whereas earnings per share earlier than distinctive gadgets rose to 11.7 US cents from 8.3 US cents.
Higher finance prices weigh on earnings
Despite the development in working efficiency, Airtel Africa’s internet finance prices elevated to $477 million from $304 million within the corresponding interval of 2025.
The present interval included a $37 million value relating to an in-principle settlement of a business dispute involving one of many group’s subsidiaries. The firm additionally recorded decrease by-product and foreign-exchange positive aspects than within the prior interval.
Derivative and foreign-exchange positive aspects amounted to $2 million, in contrast with $90 million a yr earlier. Excluding these positive aspects and distinctive gadgets, finance prices elevated to $442 million from $394 million, primarily reflecting increased curiosity on lease liabilities following the rollout of community websites.
The group’s complete tax cost additionally elevated to $362 million from $280 million, largely reflecting increased profit earlier than tax and withholding taxes on dividends paid by subsidiaries. Profit after tax consequently rose to $452 million from $376 million.
Airtel Money expands as itemizing boosts visibility
Airtel Africa’s cellular cash enterprise continued to develop, with its buyer base rising by 22.4% to 60.9 million throughout the half yr.
Mobile cash income grew by 25.8% in fixed forex. Payments and transfers income elevated by 29.8%, whereas monetary providers income rose by 56.9%. The enterprise additionally recorded greater than 2.5 million lively brokers, a rise of 25.3% year-on-year, whereas lively retailers rose by 85.5% to greater than 587,000.
- The development comes as Airtel Mobile Commerce N.V., the holding firm for Airtel Africa’s cellular cash operations, was admitted to the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange on October 14, 2026.
- The itemizing concerned an providing of 270 million current shares, representing 10% of the issued share capital, at £1.96 per share. Airtel Africa didn’t promote shares within the providing and retained its 77.85% shareholding.
The transaction didn’t elevate recent capital for Airtel Africa, whereas the group recorded $19 million in distinctive working bills related to the itemizing throughout the half yr.
Interim dividend rises 9.2%
Airtel Africa’s board authorized an interim dividend of three.1 US cents per share for the half yr ended September 30, 2026, representing a rise of 9.2%.
The dividend is payable on December 11, 2026, to shareholders on the register on the shut of enterprise on November 13, 2026.
The firm additionally returned $108.7 million to shareholders by way of the repurchase of 24.5 million shares underneath its share buyback programme. The accomplished tranche used 0.67% of the 1% share repurchase authority authorized by the board.
Taldar stated the corporate remained assured within the alternatives forward, supported by its robust stability sheet and strong money technology.
