Airtel Africa says a recent tariff increase in Nigeria is lifting its revenue performance as the telecoms group reports a 24.9% jump in revenue in constant currency for the quarter ended June 30, 2025.
Sunil Taldar, Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Africa, says the group’s strong financial performance during the first quarter of its financial year is buoyed by sustained demand for data, mobile money, and voice services, with Nigeria—the group’s largest market—benefiting from the positive impact of the tariff adjustment.
Revenue for the group hits $1.415 billion, up from $1.156 billion a year ago, while profit after tax climbs to $156 million, a significant rise from $31 million recorded in the same period last year. Airtel attributes this performance to not only operational growth but also to easing currency headwinds and strategic pricing reforms in key markets such as Nigeria.
Sunil Taldar, Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Africa, says the group’s strong financial performance during the first quarter of its financial year is buoyed by sustained demand for data, mobile money, and voice services, with Nigeria—the group’s largest market—benefiting from the positive impact of the tariff adjustment.
“The acceleration” the Airtel Africa CEO says, “in constant currency revenue growth from the previous quarter reflects not only the impact of the tariff adjustments in Nigeria but also a strong performance in Francophone Africa,” Airtel Africa says in a statement released Wednesday.
In Nigeria, the telecoms giant recently reviewed its tariffs in response to rising operational costs and currency depreciation, a move that is now translating into stronger revenue flows.
Airtel Africa, which operates in 14 countries across sub-Saharan Africa, says its mobile services revenue rises by 23.8% in constant currency, with data revenue surging 38.1% and voice revenue growing 13.9%. Mobile money services also continue their growth trajectory with a 30.3% increase in constant currency.
Taldar says Airtel’s focus on digitisation and expanding its customer base is paying off. “Operationally, the acceleration in customer base growth to 9%, and 17.4% growth in our data customers to 75.6 million reflects the strong on-ground execution with a relentless focus on digitisation and the simplification of the customer experience,” he says.
Smartphone penetration across the group reaches 45.9%, rising 4.3% year-on-year, while total data usage increases by 47.4%, underscoring growing consumer demand for digital services.
In Nigeria, the revenue lift is further supported by ongoing network investment. Airtel Africa says it has rolled out 2,300 new sites across its markets, expanding total coverage to 37,579 sites. The company also extends its fibre optic footprint by 2,700 kilometres, bringing its total fibre network to over 79,600 kilometres.
This fibre investment, Airtel says, continues to drive increased data capacity across the region with 4G population coverage reaching 74.7% – an increase of 3.4% from a year ago.
On the financial front, Airtel Africa reports a 29.8% rise in EBITDA to $679 million, with margins expanding to 48.0% from 45.3% in the prior period. The strong operating performance contributes to a significant improvement in basic earnings per share (EPS), which rises to 3.4 cents from 0.2 cents in the same period last year.
Taldar notes that “this strong revenue performance and continued cost efficiencies contributed to further EBITDA margin expansion which resulted in strong EBITDA growth of approximately 30%.”
Mobile money remains a growth engine, with the customer base expanding 16.1% to 45.8 million users and annualised transaction value climbing 35% to $162 billion. Airtel says it is advancing financial inclusion across its footprint by widening access to digital financial services.
Looking ahead, Airtel maintains its capital expenditure guidance for the year between $725 million and $750 million, although first-quarter capex comes in at a lower $121 million due to timing differences.
Meanwhile, the company continues to localise its debt exposure, with 95% of operating company debt now denominated in local currencies—up from 86% a year ago—mitigating the impact of foreign exchange volatility.
According to Airtel Africa CEO, “With smartphone penetration at only 45.9%, we see significant headroom to drive further adoption and play a key role in bridging the digital divide.”
He adds that, “mobile money remains a cornerstone of our current and future growth proposition. With our customer base approaching 46 million and expanding by over 16%, we see significant potential to further advance financial inclusion through the continued growth of our financial services offering. The continued expansion of our mobile money portfolio and the advancement of enterprise and digital payments contributed to a 35% growth in annualised transaction value to $162bn. We will continue to focus on technology and the range of product offerings to deliver a differentiated experience for our customers.”
Key highlights of Airtel Africa revenue
- Tariff Increase Drives Revenue Growth
Airtel Africa reports a 22.4% year‑on‑year rise in group revenue to $1.415 billion, with the company attributing this acceleration—especially in Nigeria—to tariff adjustments that reflect strategic repricing.
- Robust Data Demand and Pricing Power
Data services remain a key growth driver: data ARPU (average revenue per user) increases by 18.5% in constant currency while data usage surges 47.4%, emphasising strong demand in Nigeria’s expanding digital market.
- Expanding Customer and Smartphone Penetration
Nigeria’s subscriber base contributes to a 9.0% increase in total customers (to 169.4 million) across Airtel Africa, with data customers up 17.4% (to 75.6 million). In parallel, smartphone penetration rises 4.3 points to 45.9%, signalling deeper mobile connectivity.
- Strong Profitability and Margin Expansion
The group’s EBITDA climbs 29.8% to $679 million, with margins rising from 45.3% to 48.0%. These gains are supported by pricing moves in Nigeria and greater operating efficiency.
- Surge in Mobile Money Usage
Mobile financial services show continued momentum: Airtel Money customers grow 16.1% (to 45.8 million), with annualised transaction value jumping 35% to $162 billion, reflecting rising financial inclusion across Nigeria.
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