Airtel Africa has announced a share buyback programme worth up to $110 million, as the telecoms group seeks to return value to shareholders while maintaining investment across its African operations.
In a statement signed by Group Company Secretary Simon O’Hara on May 22, the company said the programme could repurchase up to 1% of its issued share capital. Airtel Africa stated that the buyback reflects its commitment to returning value to shareholders while preserving financial flexibility to support ongoing investments across its markets.
Airtel Africa operates in 14 African countries and is the continent’s third-largest wireless carrier. The company has expanded rapidly in mobile data and digital payments, driven by rising smartphone adoption and increased demand for financial inclusion services. Its mobile money division has become one of its fastest-growing business segments.
According to the company’s latest financial results for the year ended March 31, 2026, mobile money generated $1.08 billion in revenue, while total group revenue rose to $6.4 billion from $4.9 billion a year earlier. The company also reported pretax profit of $1.41 billion, an increase of more than 114% year-on-year.
“The programme begins today and is scheduled to run until no later than November 27, 2026, unless terminated earlier” – Airtel Africa
Sunil Bharti Mittal, founder of Bharti Airtel, sees Africa as a key long-term growth market for telecoms and digital payments expansion.
Stakeholders say, reducing the number of outstanding shares could improve earnings per share and strengthen investor confidence.
Market attention is likely to focus on the planned Airtel Money IPO and whether the share buyback improves shareholder returns in the near term.
