Airtel Africa Roars Back to Profitability with $661M Surge in FY2025 as Nigerian Market Powers Turnaround

After navigating a challenging financial landscape in the prior year, Airtel Africa has staged a powerful comeback, reporting a pre-tax profit of $661 million for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025. 

This milestone marks a remarkable turnaround from the $63 million loss recorded in FY2024. It represents a year-over-year profit growth of over 1,147%, a testament to strategic recalibration and resilience.

The telecommunications giant operates in 14 African countries and has attributed this impressive leap to a blend of strategic tariff adjustments, strong market execution, and improving macroeconomic conditions, particularly in Nigeria, its largest and most lucrative market.

Despite a slight dip in reported currency revenue falling by 0.5% to $4.96 billion, the company’s performance in constant currency tells a different story. Revenues climbed by 21.1% when adjusted for exchange rate fluctuations, reflecting strong underlying business growth. The year’s final quarter (Q4 2025) was especially strong, with revenue in constant currency growing 23.2%, a notable acceleration in momentum.

Nigeria, which previously dragged the company’s numbers due to foreign exchange losses and macroeconomic instability, emerged as a growth engine in 2025. With inflation easing and the naira showing signs of stabilization, Airtel Africa capitalized on revised pricing strategies and increased consumer demand. Reported Q4 revenue in Nigeria grew by 17.8%, demonstrating the market’s strong rebound.

Profit after tax also reflected this upward trajectory, closing the year at $328 million, a massive recovery from the $89 million loss suffered in 2024. This sharp swing back into profitability highlights how the company has effectively navigated forex challenges that previously eroded its bottom line, especially those tied to derivative losses in Nigeria.

Sunil Taldar, CEO of Airtel Africa, credited the turnaround to a disciplined focus on operational efficiency and an unwavering commitment to growth opportunities across the continent. “Our strategy continues to yield strong results. We’ve seen the impact of a more favorable business climate combined with smarter execution across our footprint,” he noted. He stated that tariff optimization and ongoing infrastructure investments were central to sustaining growth in high-potential markets like Nigeria.

Airtel Africa’s performance shows sub-Saharan Africa’s growing appetite for data and mobile money services. The continent remains fertile for telecom expansion, with millions of unbanked and under-connected individuals. The company’s continued investment in expanding its 4G and 5G infrastructure and increased adoption of mobile financial services is positioning it well for sustained revenue and subscriber growth.

Airtel Africa appears poised to build on this momentum, leveraging demographic trends and digital transformation efforts across its key markets. While currency volatility remains risky, the company’s diversified geographic presence and improved financial discipline offer a solid foundation for resilience and long-term profitability.

This strong financial rebound boosts investor confidence and signals that Africa’s telecom sector remains a digital and economic development pillar. Airtel Africa’s 2025 results are a compelling case study in corporate recovery and strategic clarity in volatile emerging markets.