Airtel Africa, a leading provider of telecommunications and mobile money services in 14 countries across sub-Saharan Africa, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this month.
Over the past decade, Airtel Africa has supported social transformation across the continent by enabling millions of people to access data services and be part of the financial system.
Bharti Airtel established its presence in Africa when it acquired Zain Telecom’s Africa operations in June 2010. The company has achieved significant growth, reaching more than 110 million customers, bridging the digital divide and increasing financial inclusion.
The anniversary follows another recent milestone for Airtel Africa when the company was listed on the London and Nigerian stock exchanges.
Airtel Africa employs more than 3,300 people across Africa, with another 1.6 m people earning through working with Airtel Africa as entrepreneurs and in its distribution network.
Airtel Africa’s voice, data and mobile money services are driving growth and Transforming Customers’ lives. It provides voice services to 110.6m customers, data services to 35.4m customers and mobile money services to 18.3m customers. The company had a turnover of $3.4 bn in the last financial year.
Over the past decade, Airtel Africa has expanded its network footprint enabling millions of people to access telecoms services and taken the lead in the rollout of robust 4G networks, helping to drive digitalization.
The introduction of wireless home broadband has further helped service customers’ evolving needs. Airtel Africa’s mobile money services provide customers with exclusively assured float and a growing number of strategic partnerships enable cross-border money transfers.
Airtel Africa has also launched a virtual card, further boosting financial inclusion.
Raghunath Mandava, CEO, Airtel Africa, while reflecting on the past 10 years, said: “Our vision is to enrich the lives of our customers. I want to take this opportunity to thank all our colleagues, partners, suppliers and distributors for their support as we have worked together to deliver on our purpose.
“In these challenging times, the Airtel Africa team along with our partners is working hard to provide our customers with reliable voice, data and mobile money services.”
History of Airtel Africa plc
In 2010, Bharti Airtel Limited acquired the African operations of the Zain Group (formerly Mobile Telecommunications Group) comprising 36 million subscribers operating in 15 countries, including 12 of the Group’s current 14-country footprint.
The Group further expanded its footprint with the acquisition of Telecom Seychelles Limited.
While the Group launched its greenfield operations in Rwanda, in 2012, it expanded its operations in Uganda and in Congo through the acquisition of Warid Telecom Uganda and Warid Congo SA from the Warid Group in 2013.
In 2015, the Group acquired yuMobile’s subscriber base in Kenya from Essar Telecommunications Kenya, a part of the Essar Group.
In 2016, it completed the sale of its operations in Burkina Faso and Sierra Leone to France-based Orange, to better streamline the Group’s footprint in East Africa.
2017 saw Airtel Africa deconsolidate its operations in Ghana upon entering into a joint venture with Millicom International Cellular (which operates under the “Tigo” brand in Ghana) whereby Airtel and Millicom share equal ownership and governance rights in a combined “AirtelTigo” entity.
In 2018, the Group acquired the operations of Tigo Rwanda, a subsidiary of Millicom.
Airtel Africa Limited, the Group’s UK holding company, was incorporated and registered as a private company in England and Wales. The Company completed an initial round of pre-IPO funding, raising US$1.25 billion.
In 2019, Telkom Kenya Limited (“Telkom Kenya”), the third-largest MNO in Kenya, announced its intention to transfer its mobile operations, enterprise, and carrier business to Airtel Kenya, the Group’s operating subsidiary in Kenya.
Airtel Africa is listed on the London and Nigerian stock exchanges.
