Airtel Africa has announced plans to invest approximately $1.1 billion across its 14 African markets as the telecommunications group expands network coverage, increases capacity, and positions itself for the anticipated surge in data and artificial intelligence (AI) services, CEO Sunil Taldar has revealed.
Speaking in an interview with Arise News, Taldar highlighted significant growth opportunities across the continent, where telecom and smartphone penetration remain relatively low. The capital expenditure will focus on expanding network coverage, adding data capacity, strengthening fibre transmission infrastructure, acquiring spectrum, and developing home broadband services.
According to Taldar, data traffic across Airtel Africa’s network is growing by more than 50%, necessitating substantial investment in additional network capacity and stronger transmission infrastructure. Nigeria, a key market, has already seen a significant increase in capital investment, with spending nearly doubling.
The CEO noted that Airtel is also investing in data centres and business-to-business services to position Africa for the growth of AI, which he described as a major opportunity as adoption expands across the continent.
Taldar identified power supply and vandalism as two major challenges affecting telecom operations, particularly in Nigeria. Unreliable electricity forces operators to rely heavily on diesel to power network sites, making operations significantly more expensive. Running a telecom site on diesel can cost almost four times more than operating one on the electricity grid.
He noted that diesel prices in Nigeria have risen sharply, increasing from approximately $1.07 per litre to nearly $2.12 per litre, further escalating operating costs. The logistics involved in transporting diesel to network sites can also lead to service disruptions when fuel cannot reach sites on time.
On infrastructure vandalism, Taldar welcomed the Nigerian government’s decision to classify telecom infrastructure as national critical infrastructure but called for stronger implementation to protect against fibre cuts. He also appealed to communities to protect telecom facilities, warning that damage affects not only operators but businesses, livelihoods, and communities that depend on connectivity.
Taldar outlined Airtel Africa’s transition from a traditional telecommunications company towards a technology-focused business, connecting people to opportunities through mobile money, SME solutions, digital education, and AI-enabled services.
He defended the company’s partnership with Starlink, describing satellite technology as critical for extending connectivity to areas where traditional towers and fibre networks are not economically viable. The partnership will support enterprise connectivity, satellite backhaul, and direct-to-device connectivity in underserved areas.
Airtel Africa continues to work towards an initial public offering of its mobile money business, Airtel Money, in London before the end of 2026, subject to market conditions.
Beyond commercial operations, Taldar highlighted the Airtel Africa Foundation’s investments in digital inclusion, financial inclusion, education, and sustainability. The foundation has provided free connectivity to 2.1 million children across Africa, including 1.4 million in Nigeria, while connecting 3,300 schools across its markets.
In Nigeria alone, Airtel Africa has connected about 1,500 schools and trained 74,000 teachers in digital education. The company is also adopting 10 schools in Nigeria to improve their infrastructure and support digital learning.
Taldar said Airtel Africa’s broader objective is to use connectivity, education, and technology to help unlock economic opportunities across the continent, positioning the company beyond traditional telecom services.
