Summary:
Bharti Airtel is moving ahead with plans to list Airtel Africa on the London Stock Exchange through an IPO that could value the company at nearly USD 10 billion and raise around USD 1.5 billion. The telecom operator, which serves over 54 million customers across 14 African markets, is also considering a spin-off of its fast-growing mobile money business. As the Bharti Group increases its stake in Airtel Africa to strengthen strategic control, investors will be closely watching the IPO, alongside the expected public listing of Jio Platforms before the end of FY27.
Bharti Airtel is preparing to take Airtel Africa public through a listing on the London stock market. The proposed Initial Public Offering (IPO) is expected to be a landmark milestone for the Bharti Group, as Airtel Africa ranks among the continent’s leading telecom operators. According to a Financial Times report, the company has begun bringing additional investment banks into the IPO syndicate to accelerate the listing process. The offering could value Airtel Africa at nearly USD 10 billion, with the company aiming to raise around USD 1.5 billion from public investors.
London has long been under consideration as the preferred destination for Airtel Africa’s public listing, and the latest report indicates that the plan has now been finalised. The IPO is expected to become one of the Bharti Group’s most significant capital market events. Alongside the listing, the company is also exploring the separation of its mobile money business, a rapidly expanding segment that is expected to create substantial long-term value.
Airtel Africa currently serves more than 54 million customers across 14 African markets. During FY26, the telecom operator generated USD 1.35 billion in revenue. Mobile money services have emerged as one of the fastest-growing businesses for telecom companies across Africa, and Airtel Africa is expected to benefit from the continent’s accelerating digital transformation as network connectivity continues to expand into more regions.
Airtel Africa is not the only major telecom company planning a public listing in the near future. Jio Platforms, the parent company of Reliance Jio, is also widely expected to pursue an independent IPO before the end of FY27 (March 31, 2027). Meanwhile, the Bharti Group has strengthened its ownership in Airtel Africa by acquiring an additional stake, a move that is expected to provide greater strategic control and enable quicker decision-making as the company moves closer to its planned IPO.
