Chief executive officer’s Q&A
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In a continent as dynamic and diverse as Africa, the needs are significant, but so is the potential. And it’s our responsibility to ensure that as we grow, we’re creating meaningful value for the people and communities we serve.
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Sunil Taldar
Chief executive officer, Airtel Africa plc
With one of the youngest populations in the world and fast-growing demand for digital and financial services, Africa is entering a pivotal chapter in its development. Airtel Africa is uniquely placed to help shape this future – not only by providing critical infrastructure but by championing the aspirations of the continent’s people.
Sunil Taldar, chief executive officer of Airtel Africa plc, reflects on the company's role in accelerating inclusive growth, building a customer-first culture, and delivering sustainable impact through our operations and The Airtel Africa Foundation.
Q1.
Sub-Saharan Africa is in a period of rapid digital growth – how is Airtel Africa helping to ensure this growth is inclusive and sustainable?
Sub-Saharan Africa is at a pivotal moment. Demand for connectivity, data and mobile financial services is growing fast – the opportunity that come with it is extraordinary. However, I believe growth that leaves people behind has little value. This is why we focus on making sure our services are reliable, affordable and accessible to all – connecting the unconnected and bridging the digital divide.
This focus guides our investment decisions. In 2025/26, we deployed over 3,250 new infrastructure sites, which have now reached a total of 40,378 sites and around 81,900 km of connecting fibre across the African continent. We increased 4G population coverage by 1.2% to reach 75.6% in 14 markets. And we grew our Airtel Money agent network to 2.4 million people. These agents are the connection between our services and communities that have been underserved for generations.
What I admire about our business is that commercial growth and our corporate purpose pull in the same direction. Every new customer we connect, every Airtel Money account we open, is also a step forward for digital and financial inclusion across sub-Saharan Africa.
Q2.
How does Airtel Africa’s strategy translate into real impact for customers and communities?
Our strategy is built on the simple belief that long-term success comes from delivering consistent value to our customers. When people have a reliable, seamless experience, they're more likely to adopt digital and financial services and keep using them. That's what drives inclusion in practice. It's not just about access – it's about providing services people trust on the continent where approximately 70% of the population remains offline, representing the largest usage gap globally, driven by barriers, such as high smartphone costs, low digital literacy and limited rural infrastructure1.
The numbers in this report tell part of the story. Our data customer base has grown to 84.2 million as of 31 March 2026. Daily average data traffic has increased by 48.5% to 22 petabytes per day and 5G is now live across six markets. It’s clear that our customers are using our network more regularly, and for more things than ever before.
But the example I find most compelling is Airtel Money. We served over 54 million customers in 2025/26, with $196bn in transactions processed. These are people building financial security, often for the first time. That's how we transform lives.
1 Source: GSMA Intelligence
Q3.
What role does sustainability play in how Airtel Africa operates and grows as a business?
Sustainability is embedded in how we operate. I’ll share an example of how the right environmental decision can also be the right business decision.
As of 31 March 2026, we converted over 950 infrastructure sites from off-grid to on-grid power.This conversion has cut emissions and reduced costs, meaning we can reinvest in expanding coverage and improving quality. Business performance and environmental responsibility reinforce each other. We see that pattern again and again.
We're also strengthening our approach to sustainability reporting, with a clear focus on data quality and transparency, and working towards independent assurance on our KPIs. For us, sustainability isn't a separate agenda – it's built into how we create value.
Q4.
Partnerships are central to Airtel Africa's approach. Why is collaboration so important – and what makes a partnership genuinely effective?
Collaboration is at the heart of how we create impact at scale. When we combine the power of our network connectivity and reach with the expertise of organisations that share our purpose, the effect is transformative.
Our partnership with Mastercard means customers can now make international payments directly from their mobile phones – without a traditional bank account – opening up global e-commerce to millions of people for the first time. Through our agreement with SpaceX, Starlink's ‘direct-to-cell’ technology will allow us to reach communities in the most remote areas, where installing physical network infrastructure simply isn't feasible. And through The Airtel Africa Foundation's collaboration with UNICEF, thousands of schools across 13 markets are now connected to the internet, with millions of children accessing free digital learning platforms.
What makes these partnerships work is alignment of purpose – a shared conviction that Africa's people deserve access to connectivity, financial services and education. When that belief is genuine on both sides, the results follow.
Sunil Taldar
Chief executive officer