Airtel Africa has posted a remarkable 370% year-on-year profit jump for the quarter ended June 2025, buoyed by surging data consumption and the expanding footprint of its mobile-money service across the continent.
The pan-African telco, which operates in 14 markets including Nigeria, Kenya, and Tanzania, recorded a net profit of $250 million — up from $52 million a year ago. This performance comes despite enduring an $89 million forex hit, largely due to currency devaluations in Nigeria and Malawi.
The key driver behind the stellar performance was strong user engagement on its digital platforms. Average monthly data usage per customer rose to 6.9GB — up 32% year-on-year — as smartphone adoption continued to climb, particularly in key urban centres.
The company’s 4G and 5G investments across the continent appear to be paying off, with 71.4 million people now using Airtel’s data services, a 13.8% increase over the same period last year.
This translated to a 29.5% growth in data revenue on a constant-currency basis, making mobile Internet Airtel Africa’s largest revenue stream.
“Our continued investment in network infrastructure has enabled better customer experience, leading to higher data usage and improved monetisation,” said CEO Segun Ogunsanya.
Equally important has been the growth of Airtel Money, the company’s financial services arm. With 44.3 million users now onboard — a near 20% increase — annualised transaction volume hit $146 billion.
The segment saw a 29.6% revenue increase year-on-year, as more Africans turn to mobile platforms for financial transactions amid a growing digital shift.
Average revenue per user (ARPU) also rose sharply, with data ARPU up 15% and mobile-money ARPU climbing 11.8%, helping offset inflationary pressures and local currency weaknesses in some markets.
Still, Nigeria remains a tricky terrain. The naira’s recent volatility, coupled with regulatory changes affecting telecom pricing, impacted earnings in the firm’s largest market.
Revenue from Nigeria, when measured in USD, dropped by 7.3%. Yet, in constant-currency terms, Nigeria’s revenue grew 22.2%, underlining the strength of local operations despite macroeconomic headwinds.
The group’s performance is already sparking renewed investor interest. Airtel Africa declared a $0.04 per share dividend and signalled it remains on track for the planned IPO of Airtel Money by mid-2026, a move likely to further unlock value from its growing fintech operations.
With over 163 million total customers and accelerating digital service adoption, Airtel Africa’s strategy of deepening data and financial inclusion seems to be delivering long-term returns even in turbulent times.
