Airtel Africa Confirms 2026 IPO Plan for Mobile Money Unit
TLDR
- Airtel Africa plans to list its mobile money unit, Airtel Money, in the first half of 2026, as the telecom operator aims to unlock value and accelerate growth
- The IPO will give Airtel Money operational independence and capital to compete with regional fintech giants
- Operating in 14 African countries, Airtel Africa said the public listing would enhance visibility and scale for Airtel Money
Airtel Africa plans to list its mobile money unit, Airtel Money, in the first half of 2026, as the telecom operator aims to unlock value and accelerate growth in Africa’s expanding digital payments market. The IPO will give Airtel Money operational independence and capital to compete with regional fintech giants like Safaricom’s M-Pesa and MTN’s MoMo, which dominate mobile financial services across East, West, and Central Africa.
Operating in 14 African countries, Airtel Africa said the public listing would enhance visibility and scale for Airtel Money. While the company did not specify the exchange or fundraising target, it reaffirmed its IPO intention, first floated in 2024 with an initial July 2025 target.
Airtel Money’s revenues grew 20.7% in 2024, processing $112 billion in transactions. With over 30 million active users, the platform is focused on expanding in underpenetrated markets like Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania, and the DRC.
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Key Takeaways
The planned IPO signals Airtel’s ambition to transform Airtel Money into a standalone fintech contender. Despite strong growth, Airtel Money still trails M-Pesa and MoMo, which boast 66.2 million and 65 million users respectively and process hundreds of billions in annual transaction value. Listing Airtel Money separately could position the unit to attract fintech-focused investors, strike new partnerships, and deepen financial inclusion efforts across its markets. It also reflects a wider trend of telecoms unbundling financial services arms to capture fintech valuation multiples. With rising investor interest in Africa’s digital economy and mobile money adoption continuing to expand, especially among unbanked populations, Airtel Money’s IPO may serve as a bellwether for investor appetite in the next wave of African fintech infrastructure plays.
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