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Airtel Africa’s profit after tax rose 20.5% to $452 million in the six months to September 2026, helped by higher revenue from data and mobile money, Capital FM reported on October 30. Revenue grew 28.2% to $3.82 billion, or 20.8% in constant currency.
Airtel Africa results at a glance (H1 to September 2026)
| Measure | Result | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Profit after tax | $452m | +20.5% |
| Revenue | $3.82bn | +28.2% (+20.8% constant currency) |
| Data revenue | $1.57bn | +28% constant currency |
| Mobile money revenue | $840m | +25.8% |
| Underlying EBITDA | $1.92bn | +23.5% constant currency |
| Total customers | 193.9m | +11.6% |
| Mobile money customers | 60.9m | +22.4% |
| Data customers | 89.9m | +15% |
The EBITDA margin reached 50.4% in the second quarter. Mobile money transaction value hit an annualised $275 billion in the quarter, up 36.5%.
East Africa, which includes Kenya
Revenue grew in all regions. Nigeria led with 27% growth in constant currency, Francophone Africa grew 19.2%, and East Africa, which includes Kenya, grew 18.2%. The group did not break out Kenya-only profit in the figures reported.
Data use is climbing fast
Smartphone penetration across Airtel’s 14 markets rose to 51.6%. Average monthly data use per smartphone customer jumped to 13.3GB from 10.1GB a year earlier, a rise of about 32%. That demand is why Airtel is spending on capacity: in Kenya, Airtel just paid KSh8.4 billion for 5G spectrum; read our report on Airtel Kenya’s 3.5GHz spectrum purchase.
Fuel costs and the Airtel Money listing
Chief executive Sunil Taldar said rising fuel costs continue to pressure operating expenses, since many network sites run on diesel, but the group is keeping cost controls in place. He called the recent listing of Airtel Money a major milestone and said Airtel Africa kept its shareholding and plans to stay a long-term investor in the mobile money business. Our explainer covers what the Airtel Money London listing means for Kenyan users and investors.
What it means for Kenyan customers and competitors
- Price competition: fast data growth and more spectrum give Airtel room to compete on bundles with Safaricom.
- Mobile money: Airtel Money is growing faster than the group’s customer base, a sign it is gaining ground in markets where it is strong, though Safaricom’s M-Pesa still dominates Kenya.
- 5G rollout: new spectrum plus higher investment could widen 5G coverage beyond major towns.
Comparing Airtel Money costs? See our guide to M-Pesa limits for the main alternative’s caps.
FAQ
How much profit did Airtel Africa make in H1 2026?
$452 million after tax in the six months to September 2026, up 20.5%.
How many customers does Airtel Africa have?
193.9 million across 14 African markets, including 60.9 million mobile money customers.
How fast did East Africa grow?
18.2% in constant currency.
Updated October 31, 2026.
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