Airtel Africa to Launch Airtel Money IPO by Mid-2026, Partners with Starlink to Boost Connectivity

Airtel Africa has announced that it is moving forward with its plans to launch an Initial Public Offering (IPO) for its mobile money platform, Airtel Money, in the first half of 2026. The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Sunil Taldar, made this known while presenting Airtel’s financial report for the first quarter of 2025.

Airtel Money is a digital financial service that allows users to send and receive money, make payments, and manage accounts directly from their mobile phones. The platform has grown significantly in recent years, with a 17.3% increase in mobile money subscribers, bringing the total number to 44.6 million. Airtel attributes this growth to its ongoing investments in expanding its agent network and enhancing user experience across its African markets. Taldar emphasized that the company remains committed to the IPO plans, noting that Airtel Africa is closely monitoring market conditions to ensure a successful listing. The IPO is expected to create new opportunities for Nigerians and other investors across the continent to own shares in one of Africa’s fastest-growing mobile money platforms.

In addition to the IPO plans, Airtel Africa has also partnered with SpaceX, the U.S.-based space company founded by Elon Musk, to bring Starlink’s high-speed satellite internet service to the African continent. The partnership is aimed at improving internet connectivity for individuals, businesses, and remote communities, especially in underserved rural areas. Taldar described the partnership as a game-changer, stating that the introduction of satellite-based internet will help close the digital divide and ensure that everyone, regardless of location, has access to reliable and affordable data and voice services.

Airtel Africa’s Q1 2025 report reflects solid progress across multiple fronts. The company’s customer base grew by 8.7%, reaching 166.1 million subscribers. Smartphone penetration also increased to 44.8%, with data customers rising by 14.1% to 73.4 million. Data consumption per user jumped by 30.4% to 7.0GB, fueling overall data revenue growth of 30.5% in constant currency.

The value of mobile money transactions climbed sharply as well, increasing by 34% in constant currency. Annual transaction value reached a staggering $145 billion, underscoring the growing reliance on digital financial services in Africa. In terms of infrastructure, Airtel rolled out 2,583 new network sites and laid 3,300 kilometers of fibre across its service regions. These efforts are part of the company’s broader focus on improving customer experience and ensuring wider service availability.

The company’s financial results showed a 21.1% revenue increase in constant currency, though reported currency revenue slightly dropped by 0.5% due to currency devaluations in some markets. In Nigeria, tariff adjustments and strong execution helped push Q4 2024 revenue up by 23.2% in constant currency and 17.8% in reported currency. Despite facing rising fuel costs and lower contributions from Nigeria, Airtel’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) stood at $2.304 billion—a 5.1% decrease in reported currency. However, profit after tax improved significantly, rising to $328 million from a loss of $89 million in the previous period.

In another major development, Airtel and MTN Group have signed a new infrastructure-sharing agreement. The deal, which takes effect in Nigeria and Uganda, will allow both telecom giants to jointly use their mobile network infrastructure. This move is expected to save costs and expand service coverage, improving connectivity for millions of users.