Airtel Africa has reported a massive 370% rise in profit for the quarter ending June 2025, driven by a strong increase in mobile data usage and rapid growth in its mobile money platform across its 14 African markets. The telco recorded a net profit of $250 million, up from $52 million in the same period last year.
This remarkable performance came despite an $89 million hit from foreign exchange losses, mainly due to the devaluation of currencies in Nigeria and Malawi. However, strong digital engagement and expansion in mobile financial services helped offset these challenges.
Data usage was a major contributor to the company’s growth. Airtel Africa said average monthly data consumption per user jumped by 32% year-on-year to 6.9GB, fueled by rising smartphone adoption in urban areas. The company now serves 71.4 million data users, a 13.8% increase compared to the previous year. This led to a 29.5% rise in data revenue when adjusted for constant currency.
“Our continued investment in network infrastructure has enabled better customer experience, leading to higher data usage and improved monetisation,” said CEO Segun Ogunsanya.
Airtel Money, the telco’s financial services arm, also performed strongly. The number of users grew by nearly 20% to 44.3 million, and the platform processed annualised transactions worth $146 billion. Revenue from mobile money rose 29.6% year-on-year, showing the growing demand for digital financial services in Africa.
The average revenue per user (ARPU) also improved. Data ARPU rose by 15%, while mobile money ARPU increased by 11.8%, helping the company manage inflation and currency weaknesses in some markets.
Despite these gains, Nigeria, Airtel’s largest market, remained challenging. Currency volatility and new telecom regulations led to a 7.3% drop in revenue when measured in US dollars. Still, in local currency terms, Nigeria's revenue grew by 22.2%, showing strong operational performance.
To reward shareholders, Airtel Africa declared a dividend of $0.04 per share. The company also confirmed it is on track to list Airtel Money by mid-2026, a move expected to boost its fintech value. With over 163 million customers and rising digital service adoption, Airtel Africa’s focus on data and mobile money continues to pay off despite economic uncertainties.
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