Airtel Africa has outlined its strategy across its 14 markets, which will include listing its mobile money unit, leveraging capacity from Starlink, and exploring intergrating crypto and other virtual assets.
- •The telco is in advanced discussions with regulators across its markets to leverage satellite capacity from Starlink, as the telco accelerates a strategy to close rural coverage gaps, defend market share and position its fintech arm for a public listing.
- •Airtel has also confirmed that plans to list its mobile money business remain on course, with management currently evaluating potential listing locations.
- •The telco also says open to integrating virtual asset services, including stablecoins and cryptocurrency transactions, on a demand-driven basis.
“The arrangement we are eyeing with Starlink covers enterprise connectivity through the Starlink kits and transmission backhauling, which will enable customers to continue using our services in remote areas not within our reach,” Group Chief Executive Officer Sunil Taldar said while speaking in Nairobi on Thursday.
In Kenya, where Airtel trails market leader Safaricom, patchy rural coverage has historically weighed on subscriber growth. Data from the Communications Authority of Kenya estimates Airtel’s market share at slightly above 30%, underscoring the competitive pressure in a market dominated by mobile data and mobile money ecosystems.
