Airtel Africa has launched Telesonic, a wholesale fibre unit, aiming to reshape the landscape of Africa’s wholesale data market.
The company plans to leverage Telesonic’s assets, encompassing 75,000km of terrestrial fibre and submarine cable systems across 14 countries, acquired through investments like the 2Africa submarine cable system.
Airtel Africa’s commitment to fortifying its data infrastructure is evident through the recent investment in the 2Africa submarine cable system.
Concurrently, the launch of Nxtra, the data centre business, in December 2023, solidifies the company’s position in the data realm, with plans to establish one of the largest and high-capacity data centres.
Operating primarily in East, Central, and West Africa, Airtel Africa boasts a substantial customer base, including 151.2 million users, 62.7 million data subscribers, and 37.5 million mobile money users.
With a revenue projection of $5.76 billion in 2024, the company is poised to capture a significant share of the burgeoning African data market.
Airtel Africa’s strategic vision extends to opening a sizable Nxtra facility in Lagos, Nigeria, by 2025, designed for 34MW capacity and high-density racks.
Alongside this expansion, leadership changes are on the horizon, with Sunil Taldar set to assume the role of CEO as Segun Ogunsanya, the current CEO, plans to retire on July 1, 2024.
Highlighting its financial prowess, Airtel Africa announced a $100 million share buyback program in early February 2024, signifying confidence in its operating performance.
Simultaneously, as Ogunsanya steps down, he will remain the inaugural Chair of the Airtel Africa Charitable Foundation, operating independently.
