Airtel Africa plans to list its mobile money unit, Airtel Money, in the first half of 2026 as the telecoms giant seeks to capitalise on the growing demand for digital payment services across the continent.
On Thursday, Airtel confirmed the listing plan amid growing investor appetite for Africa’s fintech sector, particularly mobile payment platforms that offer millions of unbanked users access to transactions, credit, and remittances. Airtel Africa, listed in London and operating in 14 African countries, told Reuters the IPO would give Airtel Money the independence and visibility to scale its operations.
The planned IPO signals Airtel Money’s move to close the gap with rivals like Safaricom’s M-Pesa and MTN’s MoMo in the booming digital payments market. By getting autonomy and raising capital from the IPO, Airtel Money hopes to compete with heavyweights that enjoy large user bases and deep market penetration.
While the company did not disclose the exchange or fundraising target, it reaffirmed its intention to go public, first announced in 2024 when it began exploring a potential spin-off of the fast-growing unit. The company had initially set a target of July 2025.
“We are committed to the IPO timeline of July. We still have six months to figure out the details for it,” Sunil Taldar, Airtel Africa CEO, said in January. “Our overall priority remains to invest in the strong growth of the business.”
Airtel Money has emerged as a key engine of growth for the group, with revenues from the service rising 20.7% in 2024. The platform processed $112 billion in transaction value last year, driven by growing adoption in key markets.
Airtel is betting that a standalone listing will accelerate Airtel Money’s expansion in countries like Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo — markets where mobile money usage continues to climb but remains far from saturation. With over 30 million active users across 14 markets and partnerships with banks, Airtel Money wants to take on regional competitors like Kenya’s Safaricom and South Africa’s.
Despite its rapid growth in recent years, Airtel Money has ground to make up. Safaricom’s M-Pesa continues to dominate in Kenya and neighbouring Tanzania, processing more than $300 billion a year and remaining the preferred option for mobile transactions in many households and businesses. MTN’s MoMo enjoys a larger footprint across West and Central Africa. M-Pesa has an estimated 66.2 million active users, while MoMo has 65 million.
