Airtel Africa Plc’s mobile money trust balances elevated to $1.49 billion as of September 30, 2026, representing a 28.9% rise from the $1.16 billion recorded a 12 months earlier, because the telecommunications group continues to increase its digital monetary companies enterprise throughout its African markets.
The determine, disclosed within the firm’s half-year outcomes for the six months ended September 30, 2026, represents balances held in financial institution trust accounts in reference to its mobile money operations.
The enhance coincided with progress in Airtel Money’s buyer base, which rose by 22.4% to 60.9 million from 49.8 million within the corresponding interval of 2025.
Key Highlights
- Mobile money trust balances: $1.49 billion as of September 30, 2026, up 28.9% from $1.16 billion in September 2025.
- Mobile money clients: 60.9 million, up 22.4% from 49.8 million a 12 months earlier.
- Total processed transaction worth: $130.1 billion, up 46.4% from $88.8 billion in reported foreign money and 36.9% in fixed foreign money.
- Mobile money phase income: $840 million, up 34.8% from $623 million within the corresponding interval of 2025.
- Payments and transfers income: Grew by 29.8% in fixed foreign money.
- Active retailers: More than 587,000, representing an 85.5% enhance year-on-year.
- Active mobile money brokers: More than 2.5 million, up 25.3% year-on-year.
- MyAirtel app month-to-month lively customers: 14 million, in contrast with 8 million a 12 months earlier.
Mobile money trust balances enhance
The steadiness elevated by roughly $334 million over the 12-month interval. It was additionally about $95 million larger than the $1.394 billion held in financial institution trust accounts on the finish of March 2026.
- Airtel Africa’s monetary statements present that your complete September 2026 steadiness was held with banks in trust accounts.
- The trust steadiness is separate from the corporate’s reported income and shouldn’t be interpreted as revenue earned by Airtel Africa.
- It represents balances held underneath trust preparations related to its mobile money operations.
Nairametrics reported earlier that Airtel Africa’s total revenue rose by 28.2% to $3.82 billion for the six months ended September 30, 2026, from $2.98 billion a 12 months earlier, whereas revenue after tax elevated by 20.5% to $452 million.
Revenue progress stood at 20.8% in fixed foreign money, reflecting the underlying enlargement of the group’s operations.
Airtel Money buyer base and transaction worth increase
Airtel Money’s buyer base elevated by 22.4% to 60.9 million from 49.8 million within the corresponding interval of the earlier 12 months.
- The enlargement lifted mobile money penetration of Airtel Africa’s telecommunications buyer base by 2.8 share factors to 31.4%.
- Transaction exercise additionally recorded vital progress, with complete processed worth reaching $130.1 billion through the six months, in contrast with $88.8 billion a 12 months earlier. This represents reported progress of 46.4% and constant-currency progress of 36.9%.
For the second quarter, annualised complete processed worth reached $275 billion, whereas mobile money income grew by 25.8% in fixed foreign money.
- Revenue from the mobile money phase elevated to $840 million from $623 million within the prior-year interval, representing reported progress of 34.8% and constant-currency progress of 25.8%.
- Airtel Africa attributed the distinction between reported and constant-currency income progress partly to the appreciation of the Zambian kwacha through the interval.
Within the enterprise, funds and transfers income elevated by 29.8% in fixed foreign money, whereas monetary companies income grew by 56.9%. Financial companies additionally elevated their contribution to income, accounting for five.4% in contrast with 4.3% a 12 months earlier.
Digital adoption positive aspects momentum
The MyAirtel app, which brings collectively the corporate’s telecommunications and monetary companies choices, recorded 14 million month-to-month lively customers on the finish of September 2026, in contrast with 8 million a 12 months earlier.
Transaction worth processed by way of the app reached $7.7 billion through the six-month interval, representing a 75% enhance, whereas the variety of transacting customers grew by 87%. In September alone, month-to-month transaction worth exceeded $1.4 billion.
The variety of Airtel Money clients transacting by way of the app reached 6.6 million, whereas app penetration amongst smartphone clients elevated to 19.9% from 14.6% within the earlier 12 months.
Airtel Africa additionally expanded its distribution community, with greater than 2.5 million lively mobile money brokers, over 48,000 unique retail touchpoints and greater than 587,000 lively retailers. The service provider base grew by 85.5% through the interval, whereas lively brokers elevated by 25.3%.
Market response
Shares of Airtel Africa Plc closed flat at N6,300 on the Nigerian Exchange on Friday, October 30, 2026, unchanged from the earlier closing worth.
The inventory opened at N6,300 and recorded a buying and selling quantity of 10,942 shares, valued at roughly N62.04 million.
At the closing worth, Airtel Africa remained at its 52-week excessive of N6,300, in contrast with a 52-week low of N2,497.
