By Abigail Mbah
Airtel Nigeria recorded a 45 per cent increase in revenue to ₦1.37 trillion in the first half of its 2026/2027 financial year, driven largely by rising demand for mobile internet services and increased customer adoption.
The performance, covering the six months ended September 30, 2026, compares with ₦941.2 billion recorded in the corresponding period of the previous year, according to Airtel Africa’s half-year financial results filed with the Nigerian Exchange.
Data services emerged as the biggest contributor to growth, with revenue increasing 52.7 per cent to ₦732.6 billion, accounting for more than half of the company’s total revenue in Nigeria.
Voice revenue also maintained strong momentum, rising 37.8 per cent to ₦498.24 billion, while average revenue per user (ARPU) increased 28.7 per cent to ₦3,771, reflecting higher customer spending and consumption of telecommunications services.
The growth was supported by an expanding customer base. Airtel Nigeria’s total subscribers increased 15.1 per cent to 61.7 million, compared with 53.6 million a year earlier.
Internet subscribers also grew, reaching 32.9 million from 29.5 million, as improved smartphone adoption and rising demand for data services continued to strengthen the company’s market position.
Beyond revenue growth, Airtel Nigeria recorded improved operational profitability. Underlying Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortisation (EBITDA) increased 50.2 per cent to ₦793.15 billion, while its EBITDA margin expanded to 58.1 per cent.
Nigeria remained a major contributor to Airtel Africa’s overall performance. At group level, the telecommunications operator reported revenue of $3.82 billion and profit after tax of $452 million during the six-month period.
Airtel Africa noted that the appreciation of the naira contributed to the stronger reported financial figures in Nigeria, alongside underlying growth in customer volumes and improvements in operational efficiency.
The results highlight the increasing importance of data services to Nigeria’s telecommunications industry, as consumers, businesses and institutions rely more heavily on mobile connectivity for digital payments, e-commerce, entertainment, education and other online services.
The sustained growth in data revenue also reinforces the need for continued investment in network infrastructure, capacity expansion and service quality as operators compete to capture a larger share of Nigeria’s expanding digital economy.