Airtel Uganda reports Shs224.7bn profit, driven by strong data demand

Airtel Uganda has announced a significant increase in its financial performance, posting a profit after tax of Shs224.7 billion for the six months ending June 30, 2026. This represents a 13.9% rise compared to the same period last year, attributed to strong demand for data services, customer acquisition, and effective cost management strategies.

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The first half of 2026 was marked by continued resilience and growing confidence in Uganda's economy amid a challenging global environment.

The telecommunications giant saw its revenue climb by 10.2% to Shs1.1949 trillion. Data revenue emerged as a primary growth engine, surging by 16.1% to Shs610.6 billion, while voice revenue also saw a healthy increase of 6.6%. This growth was achieved despite a reduction in interconnect rates and a temporary internet service shutdown during Uganda's general elections in January 2026.

Soumendra Sahu, Managing Director and CEO of Airtel Uganda, highlighted the company's resilience and growing confidence in Uganda's economy. He noted that service revenue grew by 10.9% and EBITDA increased by 13.4%, with the EBITDA margin improving to 53.9%. Sahu attributed the strong performance in data revenue to strategic market approaches in the Home Broadband segment and an 18.8% increase in data customers.

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Data revenue grew 16.1% on the backdrop of our strong performance in the Home Broadband segment where we strengthened our go-to-market strategy, and an 18.8% growth in Data customers for the period.

Further bolstering its performance, Airtel Uganda substantially increased its capital expenditure, investing Shs160.5 billion, an 82.9% rise from the previous year. This investment funded the deployment of 494 new 4G sites, 384 5G sites, and 1,621 kilometers of fiber optic cable. The company also extended broadband connectivity to over 57,000 homes and small businesses and is exploring satellite technology in partnership with Starlink.

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We remained focused on enhancing customer experience through broader network coverage, improved service quality and products tailored to evolving customer needs.