Airtel Money reports 25% revenue rise and adds nine million users

In its first financial release since the London IPO that valued the company at roughly £5.3 billion, Airtel Money announced half-year revenue of $830 million, a 25% increase over the prior year at constant currency. Pre-tax earnings rose 18% to $360 million. The surge stemmed from broader uptake of its digital wallet, payments, transfers and other financial services, with the customer base expanding to 56.7 million - nine million more than a year earlier.

The company said users are spending more per transaction and that its mobile app usage is climbing, reflecting deeper digital adoption across Africa. Chief executive Ian Ferrao pointed to the oversubscribed London listing as validation of the business model and noted that roughly 75 million Airtel telecom customers remain untapped, offering substantial growth potential.