The report highlights significant progress made during the 2024/25 period in bridging the digital divide, expanding financial inclusion, and empowering underserved communities through strategic investments.
As the company continues to build on its corporate purpose of transforming lives by extending access to essential digital services, it has made substantial strides in reaching key sustainability goals.
Airtel Africa’s Chief Executive Officer, Sunil Taldar, remarked that the company’s accomplishments, such as connecting over 2,000 schools through its partnership with UNICEF and reaching 44.6 million Airtel Money customers with near-gender parity, demonstrate how technology can foster gender equality and drive economic growth.
“At Airtel Africa, we are not only expanding networks; we’re building bridges to education, financial security, and sustainable growth for Africa’s next generation,” Taldar said.
In the realm of connectivity, Airtel Africa increased its population coverage to 81.2% across its 14 markets, up from 80.4% in 2023/24. The company has also made significant investments in its infrastructure, with over 36,000 4G sites, including more than 15,000 in rural areas.
With an investment of $670 million in network expansion and modernization, Airtel Africa is driving economic opportunity and improving access to essential services like voice, data, and mobile money.
The company’s commitment to addressing financial inclusion and gender inequality is also evident in its growth in both data and mobile money services. Airtel Africa saw a 14.1% increase in data customers, bringing the total to 73.4 million, while Airtel Money customer numbers grew by 17.3%, reaching 44.6 million.
Notably, 44.2% of Airtel Money customers are women, reflecting a 6.2% increase from the previous year. Additionally, the company expanded its agent network by 23.4%, with 1.7 million Airtel Money agents now supporting financial transactions across its markets. The workforce diversity also showed improvement, with 29.2% of employees being women, up from 28.3% in 2023/24.
Airtel Africa is also making strides in education and employment opportunities. By the end of the reporting period, the company had connected 2,176 schools to the internet free of charge, a significant increase from the 1,201 schools connected in 2023/24.
This initiative provides young people with the tools and resources to unlock their potential, while the expanding agent network continues to create employment and entrepreneurial opportunities across the region.
On the environmental front, Airtel Africa is committed to reducing its operational impact. The company converted 500 off-grid sites to on-grid power, reducing its reliance on diesel generators.
Additionally, it recycled 93% of its total waste, a 3% improvement over the previous year. These efforts are part of Airtel Africa’s broader strategy to invest in renewable energy solutions and responsible waste management practices.
The Sustainability Report 2025 adheres to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and GSMA telecommunications industry standards, ensuring transparency and accountability in the company’s sustainability efforts.
Airtel Africa’s integrated services provide mobile voice and data services as well as mobile money services to over 156 million customers across sub-Saharan Africa. The company remains focused on delivering exceptional customer experiences and increasing digital and financial inclusion to transform lives across the continent.
Leave a Reply