JOHANNESBERG, July 24 – Airtel Africa has selected the London Stock Exchange for the planned initial public offering (IPO) of its mobile money business, Airtel Money, as the telecoms group looks to attract international investors and unlock the value of its fast-growing fintech unit.
Announcing the decision from London, the company said the listing is expected in the second half of 2026, later than initially planned because of higher costs linked to the ongoing Iran conflict.
Chief Executive Officer Sunil Taldar said a London listing would give the business access to a broad international investor base while supporting the company’s long-term growth plans for it fintech platform.
At the same time, Airtel Africa warned that pressure on its near-term core profit margins is likely to continue with the business attributing the outlook to rising energy costs resulting from the conflict in Iran, which has disrupted crude oil supplies and increased energy and logistics expenses for businesses.
Despite those challenges, Airtel Africa reported stronger first-quarter revenue and profit. The company said the performance was supported by continued demand for mobile network services, growing adoption of digital technologies and artificial intelligence, as well as favourable currency movements.
