Nairobi, Kenya, July 1, 2026 – IFC today announces new financing to Airtel Africa to expand digital infrastructure, connect more people to quality mobile services, and support job creation in Africa.
IFC’s $150 million loan to two of Airtel Africa’s subsidiaries will help the company expand and upgrade mobile networks over the coming years. In doing so, it will broaden access to high-speed data connectivity in underserved communities, enabling small businesses to grow, entrepreneurs to reach new markets and young people to access digital opportunities.
By strengthening network capacity and widening coverage, Airtel Africa’s partnership with IFC builds on a longstanding collaboration to expand access to reliable internet in Africa. It will help unlock productivity gains across sectors and support livelihoods that increasingly depend on digital access, from mobile money agents and online traders to service providers in the informal economy.
“Through our ongoing partnership with IFC, we are advancing the expansion and modernisation of our network, underpinning a core pillar of our strategy,” said Airtel Africa Chief Executive Officer, Sunil Taldar. “It also reflects our ambition to accelerate digital inclusion, scale access to digital tools and services, and enable greater economic opportunity for individuals and communities.”
“Expanding digital connectivity is ultimately about expanding opportunity,” said Dan Croft, Acting Regional Manager for Infrastructure in Eastern Africa at IFC. “Stronger networks help businesses reach new customers, enable workers to access wider markets, and connect young people to skills and services that shape their future. Through IFC’s partnership with Airtel Africa, we are supporting the infrastructure that translates connectivity into jobs, inclusion, and sustained growth across Airtel Africa’s markets.”
IFC’s continued support, including longer-tenor and local-currency financing, strengthens Airtel Africa’s ability to invest with confidence, grow sustainably, and deliver lasting impact across the region.
Broadening access to reliable digital infrastructure is central to IFC’s strategy to supporting inclusive growth across Sub-Saharan Africa. Stronger networks open space for new businesses, support entrepreneurship, and create jobs at scale. Over the past decade IFC has committed and mobilized over $12 billion in telecommunications, media and technology in emerging markets.
About IFC
IFC — a member of the World Bank Group — is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries. In fiscal year 2025, IFC committed a record $71.7 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging private sector solutions and mobilizing private capital to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.
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About Airtel Africa
Airtel Africa is a leading provider of telecommunications and mobile money services, with operations in 14 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Airtel Africa provides an integrated offer to its subscribers, including mobile voice and data services as well as mobile money services both nationally and internationally. The company's strategy is focused on providing a great customer experience across the entire footprint, enabling it’s corporate purpose of transforming lives across Africa. For more information, visit www.airtel.africa.
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