Airtel Africa Sets Sights on 2026 IPO for Airtel Money Amid Soaring Mobile Payments Growth

Airtel Africa has announced plans to take its rapidly expanding mobile money business, Airtel Money, public in the first half of 2026, a significant step in its efforts to tap into Africa's fast-growing digital payments industry. The IPO, initially planned for 2025, has been delayed to enable further preparations and to ride changing market dynamics.

 

IPO Timeline and Rationale:

CEO Sunil Taldar confirmed that significant efforts are underway toward the IPO of Airtel Money, and the listing will now occur during the first half of 2026, based on market conditions. The move is focused on unlocking value, offering autonomy, and raising funds to further develop across 14 African countries.

 

Financial Performance:

Airtel Africa registered a dramatic turnaround for the year to March 2025 with a profit after tax of $328 million against a loss of $89 million in the prior year. Revenue rose 21.1% in constant currency, although reported revenue fell 0.5% as a result of currency devaluation, particularly in Nigeria.

 

Mobile Money Momentum:

Airtel Money's top line grew 29.9% in constant currency, with value of transactions rising 33.3% to $146 billion in 2024. The customer base has increased to more than 44 million, making Airtel Money a growth driver for the group.

 

Market Opportunity:

The IPO will enable Airtel Money to compete more strongly with regional behemoths such as Safaricom's M-Pesa and MTN's MoMo, as mobile money takes off among Africa's underbanked masses.

 

Strategic Outlook:

The listing will increase the visibility, autonomy, and access to new investors of Airtel Money, enabling it to fulfill its goal of promoting financial inclusion and digital payments innovation in the continent.

 

Sources: Rediff, TechCabal, Connecting Africa, Zawya, Techpoint Africa, Morningstar