Airtel Kenya. Photo | Courtesy.
Airtel Africa plans to list its mobile money arm, Airtel Money, in the first half of 2026 as it seeks to tap into surging demand for digital payment services across the continent.
The telecoms group, which operates in 14 African countries and is listed in London, confirmed the move on Thursday, citing rising investor interest in Africa’s fintech sector.
Mobile payment platforms have become a gateway to financial inclusion for millions of unbanked users, offering access to transactions, credit, and remittances.
Airtel said the planned initial public offering (IPO) would give Airtel Money greater independence and visibility, enabling it to scale operations and compete more aggressively with regional rivals such as Safaricom’s M-Pesa and MTN’s MoMo.
While the company did not reveal the target exchange or valuation, the IPO plan revives earlier ambitions first disclosed in 2024, when Airtel began exploring a spin-off of the fast-growing unit. The listing had initially been targeted for July 2025.
“We are committed to the IPO timeline of July. We still have six months to figure out the details for it our overall priority remains to invest in the strong growth of the business,” said Airtel Africa CEO Sunil Taldar in a January interview.
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Airtel Money has become a major growth driver for the group, with revenues rising 20.7 percent in 2024. The platform processed $112 billion in transaction value last year, propelled by increased adoption in core markets.
The standalone listing is expected to accelerate expansion in countries such as Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo markets where mobile money penetration is growing but still has room for further uptake.
Airtel Money currently has over 30 million active users and maintains partnerships with several banks.
Still, the platform faces stiff competition. M-Pesa remains dominant in Kenya and Tanzania, handling over $300 billion in annual transactions and boasting 66.2 million active users.
MTN’s MoMo, with 65 million users, has a broader footprint across West and Central Africa.
