Climate change is a material topic
Reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
Reducing emissions through energy efficiency and cleaner power
Our near-term target is, by 2032, to reduce our scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions intensity by 62% from our baseline and continue rolling out engagement programmes with our partners and suppliers to reduce our scope 3 emissions.
Our focus areas
Investing in resilient, energy-efficient infrastructure
We’re strengthening the resilience and efficiency of our network through targeted infrastructure investments, including hybrid power solutions and advanced energy management systems. Operating in markets with underdeveloped power grids and increasing exposure to climate-related disruptions, we prioritise energy optimisation and robust network design to maintain service continuity.
As we expand our footprint in sub-Saharan Africa, we embed energy efficiency and environmental considerations into new deployments, reducing energy intensity, improving cost efficiency and supporting reliable, long-term operational performance.
Advancing decarbonisation through partnerships
We’re accelerating emissions reduction by deepening collaboration across our value chain, recognising that key emissions drivers, particularly diesel dependency, are influenced by structural energy constraints. By working closely with infrastructure partners and energy providers, we’re scaling the adoption of hybrid and renewable energy solutions and improving access to lower-carbon power sources.
This partnership-led approach enables more efficient energy use, reduces GHG emissions and supports sustainable network growth at scale.
GRI framework
305-1 Direct (scope 1) GHG emissions
305-2 Energy indirect (scope 2) GHG emissions
305-3 Other indirect (scope 3) GHG emissions
305-4 GHG emissions intensity
305-5 Reduction of GHG emissions
Our commitment to reducing our environmental impact and focus areas
We are committed to continuing with our ambitious and comprehensive approach to minimising environmental impact by reducing the GHG emissions associated with our operations as well as across our supply chain. Our decarbonisation strategy is embedded within our long-term commitment to sustainable growth, energy efficiency and optimisation in our 14 sub-Saharan markets.
Our journey towards a net zero future
We regularly update ‘Our journey towards a net zero future’ which sets out the detailed roadmap to reduce GHG emissions across our operations and supply chain. The document outlines our strategic approach to decarbonisation, including the near-term target of a 62% reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions intensity* by 2032. It also provides updates on energy efficiency measures, hybrid infrastructure deployment, restatement policy, scope 3 methodology as well as our partner and supplier engagement programme (PSEP) to reduce scope 3 emissions in our value chain.
* tCO2e/MW of installed capacity
- For more information about our decarbonisation strategy, see ‘Our Journey Towards a Net Zero Future’ published on www.airtel.africa
Governance
- Board of directors oversees the Group's climate targets and decarbonisation strategy for long-term sustainable value creation. It sets the strategic direction for emissions reduction, ensures alignment with the Group's purpose and risk framework, and embeds climate considerations in business decisions. The Board monitors progress and holds management accountable through sustainability metrics, including non-financial performance measures in our remuneration policy. An independent director serves as Board sustainability champion and Sustainability Committee member.
- Audit and Risk Committee (ARC) oversees climate‑related risks, controls and disclosures, including the quality and assurance of GHG emissions data and metrics, and monitors the integration of climate risks into the Group’s risk management framework, informed by regular updates from the Sustainability Committee.
- Sustainability Committee supports the Board in overseeing the development and delivery of the Group’s climate-related targets and decarbonisation strategy. It's chaired by the CEO, who is also a Board member, and meets quarterly. The committee reviews progress against our GHG emissions reduction objectives, monitors climate-related risks and opportunities and ensures alignment with the Group’s broader sustainability and risk management frameworks. The committee provides regular updates to the ARC, enabling integrated oversight of climate-related risks, controls and disclosures.
- Joint goal-holders are responsible for delivering the Group’s decarbonisation strategy and overseeing its implementation across all 14 markets. Accountability for the GHG emissions reduction target sits jointly with the chief technology officer (CTO), who oversees network performance and service quality, and the chief supply chain officer (CSCO), who leads supply chain management. Cross-functional teams drive execution while operating under the strategic direction of the CTO and CSCO. This governance structure embeds climate accountability across the organisation, ensuring clear ownership, effective delivery and consistent progress against our emissions reduction commitments.
- The sustainability function is responsible for embedding the Group’s decarbonisation strategy across all business operations. Lead by the head of sustainability, it coordinates climate-related workstreams across functions and markets, collects and analyses GHG emissions and energy data and supports accurate and transparent reporting in sustainability disclosures. Additionally, the function develops, implements and monitors environmental programmes, ensuring progress against climate-related targets and alignment with the Group’s long-term decarbonisation objectives.
- For more information about our Board composition and committees’ structure, visit www.airtel.africa/corporate-governance
- For more information about our environmental policy and carbon accounting methodology, visit www.airtel.africa/sustainability
- See Managing our ESG risks
Key performance indicators (KPIs)
136,133
tCO2e
scope 1 and 2 emissions
(+1.6% vs 2024/25)
457,691,861
kWh
energy consumption
(+2.2% vs 2024/25)
20%
reduction in emissions intensity
(vs 2022 baseline)
21%
reduction of PUE in MSCs
(vs 2022 baseline)
Our emissions profile: scope 1, 2 and 3
Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions come directly from owned assets and purchased energy
In 2025/26, our scope 1 and 2 emissions increased by 1.6% compared to 2024/25. Despite the substantial growth in our business as we continue to expand our network infrastructure, the growth in emissions has been constrained by our continued investment in network modernisation and renewable energy solutions deployed across our footprint. As a result, the increase in emissions was significantly lower than it would have been otherwise and improved on the 4.3% increase recorded in the previous year. Our challenge remains to continue reducing the reliance on diesel-based solutions given the unreliable and, in many cases, unavailable electricity grid infrastructure.
External challenges during the year impacted our ability to reduce carbon emissions intensity at the pace we had anticipated. In Chad, due to continued challenges with grid availability we have had to continue to rely on diesel generators to maintain service reliability across the network. This, alongside the continued expansion of our network in Chad, has resulted in a 15% increase in diesel consumption in Chad over the previous reporting period.
Notwithstanding these challenges, we continue to advance the deployment of renewable energy solutions and more efficient technologies across our markets, reinforcing our commitment to decoupling network growth from emissions and improving operational efficiency over time.
Scope 3 emissions
For our scope 3 emissions data, which requires collection and verification from external partners, we’re only able to report this with a lag of one year to ensure our scope 3 data has been subjected to reasonable internal verification. This is in line with our internal processes to ensure our reported data is fully checked and verified.
- In 2024/25, representing 85% of the total GHG emissions footprint, our scope 3 emissions amounted to 741,777 tCO2e. These emissions are largely linked to leased assets and capital expenditure. This is in line with the prior year (87%)
- Of our scope 3 emissions, approximately 79% arose from category 8 (upstream leased assets) which is due to our equipment hosted on leased tower sites. Furthermore, 9% of our scope 3 emissions relate to our capital expenditure and form part of category 2 (capital goods)
- The remaining scope 3 emissions were split between other categories which constituted 12% of our total footprint
We continue to engage with our partners and suppliers to reduce our impact on the environment.
Updated methodology and restatement of our scope 3 emissions
In 2025/26, we undertook a comprehensive review of our methodology for calculating scope 3 emissions, incorporating updated emissions factors to enhance accuracy and alignment with best practice. As a result, our 2024/25 scope 3 emissions have been calculated using this revised approach and amounted to 741,777 tCO2e.
In line with our recalculation and restatement policy, the updated methodology has been applied retrospectively, resulting in the restatement of scope 3 emissions for prior years where the impact was deemed material. Therefore, in 2023/24, our scope 3 emissions have been recalculated and restated from 891,182 tCO2e to 714,707 tCO2e.
- For more information, see TCFD section of Annual Report and Accounts 2026.
Our scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions
| Measure | 2023/24 | 2024/25 (prior year) | 2025/26 (current year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Scope 1 emissions | tCO2e | 82,871 | 89,869 | 88,675 |
Scope 2 emissions (by location) | tCO2e | 45,632 | 44,151 | 47,458 |
Total scope 1 and 2 emissions | tCO2e | 128,503 | 134,021 | 136,133 |
Scope 3 emissions | tCO2e | 714,707 | 741,777 | n/a* |
Total | tCO2e | 843,210 | 875,797 |
|
Energy consumption | kWh | 434,373,723 | 448,050,273 | 457,691,861 |
* Scope 3 emissions for 2025/26 will be published with a lag of one year
Total scope 1 and 2 emissions in 2025/26
(tCO2e)
Scope 1
Scope 2
Emissions scope | Total emissions (tCO2e) |
|---|---|
Scope 1 | 88,675 |
Scope 2 | 47,458 |
Total scope 1 and 2 emissions | 136,133 |
Total scope 1 and 2 emissions by source in 2025/26
(tCO2e)
Diesel (facilities)
Electricity
Diesel (fleet)
Petrol (fleet)
Refrigerants
Source | Total emissions (tCO2e) |
|---|---|
Diesel (facilities) | 83,230 |
Diesel (fleet) | 3,129 |
Petrol (fleet) | 1,466 |
Electricity | 47,458 |
Refrigerants | 850 |
Total emissions by source | 136,133 |
Total scope 1 and 2 emissions by activity in 2025/26
(tCO2e)
Owned towers
Data centres
Other assets
Assets | Total emissions (tCO2e) |
|---|---|
Owned towers | 65,631 |
Data centres | 57,965 |
Other assets (buildings, shops, fleet) | 12,537 |
Total | 136,133 |
Total scope 1 and 2 emissions by region in 2025/26
(tCO2e)
Nigeria
East Africa
Francophone Africa
Regions | Total emissions (tCO2e) |
|---|---|
Nigeria | 30,572 |
East Africa | 32,828 |
Francophone Africa | 72,733 |
Total emissions by region | 136,133 |
Update on progress
Balancing hybrid and renewable energy for sustainable operations in our markets
In 2025/26, we advanced our strategy to balance hybrid and renewable energy sources, strengthening energy resilience while reducing environmental impact. A key achievement was the modernisation of our tower infrastructure, with 390 sites connected to the grid, significantly lowering reliance on diesel and improving operational efficiency. Alongside this, we expanded the deployment of hybrid energy solutions across selected sites to optimise energy use and enhance reliability.
We’ve prioritised the upgrade of legacy systems, including generators and cooling technologies, to improve efficiency and reduce emissions. Extensive audits and on-site assessments of our passive infrastructure informed targeted modernisation plans, supported by increased capital investment now underway.
To further support both operational efficiency and environmental sustainability, we’re expanding the rollout of lean sites in our markets. For example, Airtel Nigeria is advancing digital inclusion while reducing environmental impact through fibre rollout and deployment of lean sites, an efficient, lower-carbon alternative to traditional macro infrastructure. Fibre improves network performance and uptime, while lean sites optimise energy use and reduce diesel reliance, guided by geolocation analytics to target high-demand areas. This approach expands connectivity in underserved rural communities and enhances service quality in urban centres. Lean sites also deliver strong efficiencies, with approximately 40% lower capex and opex around 10% of macro sites. In 2025/26, over 200 lean sites were deployed in Nigeria, increasing uptime in off-grid locations by 21%. Reduced fuel consumption lowers GHG emissions, supporting sustainable, scalable growth.
Improving energy efficiency also continued with our programme of installing 176 new lithium-batteries in 2025/26 (1,411 in 2024/25). This further enabled the use of cleaner, renewable energy and reduces our reliance on fossil fuel.
Our approach also focuses on innovation in data centre design, integrating energy-efficient technologies and reducing waste through smarter infrastructure planning. In parallel, we’re exploring alternative energy sources, including premium grid connections, gas-powered generation and renewable options.
Notably, in the Seychelles, increased adoption of solar energy has delivered strong results, with surplus power fed back into the grid. We’re also progressing discussions on power purchase agreements (PPAs) in Nigeria to access lower-emission energy from gas-fired plants. In 2025/26, we continued to focus on deploying solar power solutions with installation across 1,040 new sites. This includes new sites on solar; existing sites upgraded with new solar installations and energy service company (ESCO) model sites in Chad.
Together, these initiatives reflect our commitment to building a more efficient, diversified and sustainable energy ecosystem. By reducing reliance on diesel and increasing the use of lower-carbon and grid-based power, our decarbonisation strategy directly targets our primary sources of scope 1 and scope 2 emissions. This approach is expected to deliver a meaningful reduction in emissions intensity, even as we continue to expand our network and connect more people to the digital economy.
9.1 million
litres
reduction of diesel consumption in 2025/26
Optimising data and mobile switching centres (MSCs)
In 2025/26, we continued to focus on consolidating and right-sizing equipment, optimising physical space and enhancing the efficiency of cooling systems. These operational improvements contributed to a further 21% reduction in power usage effectiveness (PUE)* from baseline as of 31 March 2026. This translated into improved energy efficiency and additional energy savings of 1,983,000 kWh during the reporting year, building on the 8,390,000 kWh achieved in the prior period, representing a 23.6% year-on-year improvement.
Reduction of power usage effectiveness (PUE)
* Power usage effectiveness (PUE) or power unit efficiency is a ratio that describes energy efficiency.
Reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in action
Accelerating renewable energy through solar innovation in the Seychelles
In April 2025, we commissioned a 71 kWp grid-tied solar photovoltaic system at our Seychelles data centre, marking a significant milestone in our transition to renewable energy. Comprising 159 high-efficiency solar panels and 65 kW inverter capacity, the system delivers an estimated 7,828 kWh of clean energy monthly, contributing 8% of the facility’s annual electricity demand.
This initiative has already avoided 43 tonnes of CO2 emissions, advancing our decarbonisation ambitions while supporting the Seychelles’ national sustainability commitments for 2030*. Designed for efficiency, the grid-tied configuration enables seamless integration with the national grid, optimising solar use without the need for battery storage.
Beyond environmental impact, the project delivers strong financial returns. As a scalable model, the Seychelles deployment demonstrates how renewable energy can drive both sustainability and operational efficiency across our markets.
* These include reducing overall GHG emissions by 26.4% (compared to business as usual) by 2030, enhancing renewable energy adoption and protecting the Seychelles’ seagrass and mangrove ecosystems.
Partnerships in action
Scaling sustainable energy solutions in Chad through the ESCO model
We’re scaling our decarbonisation programme in Chad through the rollout of an energy service company (ESCO) model, enabling the transition of tower infrastructure from diesel to solar-hybrid and renewable energy solutions.
Under this model, partners finance, deploy and operate energy infrastructure through long-term service agreements. This reduces capital intensity, improves cost predictability and mitigates fuel supply risks, particularly in remote areas. The shift to solar-hybrid energy is also critical in addressing operational challenges during the rainy season when flooding can isolate nearly 50% of our sites for several weeks, making refueling difficult. By reducing reliance on diesel, this transition strengthens service continuity and ensures more resilient connectivity for the communities we serve.
As of 31 March 2026, progress includes the migration of 244 out of 484 sites across key regions, with full transition expected in 2026/27 as part of our broader network modernisation programme.
By accelerating the adoption of cleaner energy solutions, we’re reducing emissions, improving network resilience and delivering more reliable connectivity in a constrained energy market while aligning with regulatory expectations for hybrid energy adoption in Chad.
Partnerships in action
Powering connectivity sustainably in partnership with Helios Towers
Reliable energy access remains a critical challenge across many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in rural and remote areas where even grid-connected telecom towers often depend on diesel generators to maintain uptime. Addressing this structural constraint is central to both our operational resilience and our decarbonisation ambitions.
In partnership with Helios Towers, we’re accelerating the transition to hybrid energy solutions across key markets, including Tanzania, Madagascar and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. By increasing access to grid power and integrating renewable and hybrid technologies, we’re reducing diesel dependency while strengthening the reliability of our network infrastructure.
This collaboration is delivering tangible results. Lower fuel consumption is driving a reduction in carbon emissions while improved energy stability enhances service continuity for customers in underserved communities. As of 31 March 2026, hybrid power systems have been deployed across 65% of Helios Towers’ sites leased to Airtel Africa in these markets (29% in 2024/25).
This partnership demonstrates how strategic collaboration across the value chain can unlock scalable solutions to complex energy challenges.
1
This partnership demonstrates how sustainable infrastructure can deliver both lower carbon outcomes and greater digital inclusion, helping connect underserved communities while advancing our shared decarbonisation ambitions.
2
Ravi Suchak
Group head of external affairs, sustainability and public policy, Helios Towers