By Johannah Nantongo
Airtel Uganda has marked a turning point in its corporate history, with internet usage revenue surpassing traditional voice earnings for the first time, underscoring a broad shift in how Ugandans communicate and do business.
For the financial year ending December 31, 2025, the telecom operator posted a 41.1% jump in profit after tax to 446.9 billion shillings, up from 316.7 billion shillings a year earlier. Overall revenue rose 13.3% to 2.25 trillion shillings, reflecting steady growth in digital services.
Data services emerged as the company’s largest revenue stream, climbing 22.4% to 1.1 trillion shillings and contributing nearly half of total service income at 49.3%. Voice revenue, long the backbone of telecom earnings, accounted for 47.4%, weighed down in part by lower interconnection charges.
The expansion was supported by a growing digital subscriber base, now standing at 8.7 million users. Average monthly data consumption per customer increased by almost 15% year-on-year to 6.26 gigabytes, highlighting rising demand for streaming, social media, and online services.
To keep pace with this growth, the company invested 252.5 billion shillings in network upgrades and expansion. It achieved full nationwide 4G coverage and extended its 5G presence to 364 sites concentrated in key urban areas. An additional 1,600 kilometers of fiber infrastructure was deployed to strengthen home broadband and enterprise connectivity solutions.
Managing Director Soumendra Sahu credited the performance to tight cost controls alongside infrastructure investment. Operating expenses increased by just 2%, enabling the company to lift its earnings margin to 54.9%.
Shareholders are set to benefit from the strong results. The board has proposed a final dividend of 3.55 shillings per share, bringing total dividends for 2025 to 11.15 shillings per share — a 41.6% rise compared with the previous year. The last installment, amounting to 142 billion shillings, is scheduled for payment in late April.
Looking forward, regulatory adjustments may affect future earnings. The Uganda Communications Commission reduced mobile termination rates in January, a decision expected to trim interconnection revenues. To expand its reach further, the telecom firm is exploring satellite partnerships aimed at connecting the remaining 1.1% of the population beyond its current network footprint.
The company’s annual general meeting will be held virtually on March 18, where investors will consider the dividend proposal and vote on board matters, including the reappointment of directors Keith Kalyegira and Suzan Kitariko.