📱Airtel Africa Posts Strong FY2025 with $4.96bn Revenue and Mobile Money Growth

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📱Airtel Africa Posts Strong FY2025 with $4.96bn Revenue and Mobile Money Growth
📱9mobile Loses 300K Users Amid MTN Deal Delay
🧬 Bayobab Strengthens East Africa’s Digital Future with New Uganda–Kenya Fibre Corridor
🤖 OpenAI–Microsoft Partnership Heads for Major Overhaul as IPO Looms
📱Safaricom Becomes First East African Company to Surpass $3 Billion in Annual Revenue
🪪 NIMC Raises NIN Date of Birth Correction Fee to ₦28,750 in New Pricing Framework

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📱TELECOMS

Airtel Africa Posts Strong FY2025 with $4.96bn Revenue and Mobile Money Growth

Airtel Africa has reported a robust financial performance for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, demonstrating significant growth across its operations despite facing macroeconomic challenges in several markets.

In constant currency terms, Airtel Africa achieved a 21.1% year-on-year revenue growth, reaching $4.96 billion. As at the end of 9 months, it had done $3.64 billion. However, due to currency devaluations, particularly in Nigeria, reported revenue experienced a slight decline of 0.5%. The fourth quarter was notably strong, with revenue growth accelerating to 23.2% in constant currency and 17.8% in reported currency.

The company’s total customer base expanded by 8.7%, totaling 166.1 million subscribers. Smartphone penetration increased by 4.3 percentage points to 44.8%, while data customers grew by 14.1% to 73.4 million. Average data usage per customer rose by 30.4% to 7.0 GB, contributing to a 15.4% increase in data ARPU in constant currency....……continue reading

📱TELECOMS

9mobile Loses 300K Users Amid MTN Deal Delay

9mobile has lost 300K users after a stalled roaming agreement with MTN, raising concerns over network coverage and customer retention in Nigeria’s telecom market. This development highlights the telecom operator’s increasing difficulty in retaining its subscriber base, particularly in a sector where more established and powerful competitors dominate.

Even though Nigeria’s telecom market is still developing quickly, 9mobile’s inability to complete a crucial alliance with MTN has turned into a significant setback. In contrast to competitors like MTN and Airtel, which reported minor improvements, the operator saw its subscriber base drop by almost 300,000 in a single quarter, according to the latest data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

According to data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the operator lost 318,825 members in February and March 2025 alone, bringing its customer base down to just 2.96 million and its market share down from 1.9% in January 2025 to 1.72%.....……continue reading

🧬 DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Bayobab Strengthens East Africa’s Digital Future with New Uganda–Kenya Fibre Corridor

MTN Group’s digital infrastructure arm, Bayobab, has taken a major step forward in reshaping East Africa’s connectivity landscape with the launch of a strategic cross-border fibre optic route between Uganda and Kenya. The newly completed 260-kilometre fibre link, running along the Uganda Railway corridor from Kampala to Malaba, connects directly to Kenya’s National Long Distance (NLD) fibre line from Mombasa to Malaba, forming a robust digital backbone that spans both nations.

This high-capacity corridor, completed between December 2024 and February 2025, is not just about laying fibre—it’s about transforming how data moves across East Africa. By leveraging railway infrastructure rather than traditional roadways, Bayobab has created a fibre network that is less prone to physical disruptions and more resilient in the face of increasing data demands....……continue reading

🤖 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

OpenAI–Microsoft Partnership Heads for Major Overhaul as IPO Looms

OpenAI and Microsoft are renegotiating the terms of their landmark partnership, setting the stage for a new phase in the evolution of the artificial intelligence industry. At stake is not just the structure of their $13 billion alliance, but the future of OpenAI as it prepares for a potential initial public offering (IPO) and seeks greater financial independence.

The discussions, first reported by the Financial Times, aim to redefine the multibillion-dollar relationship between the ChatGPT creator and its largest backer. Microsoft, which has been pivotal in providing infrastructure and funding for OpenAI since its $1 billion investment in 2019, is now reportedly willing to adjust its equity stake in OpenAI’s for-profit entity. In return, Microsoft would secure extended access to OpenAI’s most advanced AI models, even beyond the 2030 timeline initially agreed upon.

This strategic recalibration reflects the evolving priorities of both companies. For Microsoft, continued access to cutting-edge AI is vital to maintaining its competitive edge in cloud computing and enterprise solutions. For OpenAI, rebalancing its equity structure and revenue-sharing commitments with Microsoft is essential to unlock new sources of capital and attract investors ahead of a public listing.……continue reading

📱 TELECOMS

Safaricom Becomes First East African Company to Surpass $3 Billion in Annual Revenue

Safaricom PLC has hit a historic milestone, becoming the first East African company to surpass $3 billion (KES 388.7 billion) in annual revenue. This landmark achievement underscores the success of the company’s five-year journey from a traditional telecom provider to a purpose-led technology powerhouse.

The impressive financial year ending March 31, 2025, saw total revenue rise by 11.2% and net income increase by 10.8% to KES 69.8 billion, reflecting solid execution across its core markets, especially Kenya and Ethiopia.

At the heart of Safaricom’s success is a bold transition strategy that prioritized digital innovation, regional expansion, and purpose-driven impact. The company’s evolution into a technology company—what it calls a “TechCo”—has paid off, driving results not only in financial metrics but also in customer growth and community transformation........continue reading

 🪪 IDENTITY MANAGEMENT

NIMC Raises NIN Date of Birth Correction Fee to ₦28,750 in New Pricing Framework

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has officially announced new prices for a range of its services related to the National Identification Number (NIN), citing operational cost increases and the need to modernize its offerings. Among the most significant changes is a 75% hike in the fee for correcting a date of birth on the NIN database—from ₦16,340 to ₦28,750.

This adjustment is part of a broader price revision that affects nearly every aspect of NIN-related services, both within Nigeria and for citizens in the diaspora. According to the Commission, this is the first major fee update in over a decade and is necessary to align pricing with current economic realities and industry standards........continue reading

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