Airtel Delays Initial Public Offering of Mobile Money Unit to Second Half of 2026

Airtel Africa Delays Mobile Money IPO to Second Half of 2026

Airtel Africa Plc has announced that it will delay its initial public offering (IPO) of its mobile money business to the second half of this year. The company, controlled by billionaire Sunil Mittal's Bharti Enterprises Ltd., had initially planned to list its mobile money business in the first half of 2026.

According to a statement following the announcement of its earnings, Airtel delayed the proposed IPO due to the ongoing war in Iran. The company had been planning an IPO of Airtel Money after years of rapid growth. Mobile-money operators in sub-Saharan Africa conducted $1.4 trillion of transactions in 2025, according to the GSM Association. This represents 66% of global mobile money activity.

Airtel Money has attracted a series of international investors, including TPG Inc., Mastercard Inc., and an affiliate of Qatar's sovereign wealth fund. The mobile money business is expected to raise between $1.5 billion and $2 billion when it lists in London.

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Africa has become a hub for fintech companies looking to tap a young population increasingly using technology for banking services. Airtel Africa operates in 14 countries and is listed on both the London Stock Exchange and the Lagos Stock Exchange.

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Airtel Africa is one of several businesses controlled by Sunil Mittal, who together with his family has a net worth of more than $24.5 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

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