The Airtel Africa board has declared an interim dividend of 2.6 cents for the half year ended 30 September 2024, payable on 13 December 2024 to shareholders recorded in the register at the close of business on 8 November 2024.
Other financial highlights include:
Revenue in constant currency grew by 19.9% in H1'25 with growth accelerating to 20.8% in Q2'25 driven by an acceleration of growth in Nigeria to 38.2% and in Francophone Africa to 9.0%. Across the Group mobile services revenue grew by 18.4% and Mobile Money revenue grew by 28.8% in constant currency. Reported currency revenues declined by 9.7% to $2,370m reflecting the impact of currency devaluation, particularly in Nigeria.
A substantial increase in fuel prices across our markets and the lower contribution of Nigeria to the Group after the naira devaluation contributed to a decline in EBITDA margins to 45.8% from 49.6% in H1'24. In Q2'25, EBITDA margin at 46.4% improved sequentially from 45.3% in Q1'25 reflecting the initial successes in their cost efficiency programme launched earlier in the year. Constant currency EBITDA increased 13.5% whilst reported currency EBITDA declined by 16.5% to $1,087m for H1'25.
Profit after tax of $79m was impacted by $151m of exceptional derivative and foreign exchange losses (net of tax), arising from the further depreciation in the Nigerian naira during the period.
EPS before exceptional items declined from 7.0 cents in the prior period to 4.9 cents, primarily reflecting the translation impact of currency devaluation. Basic EPS of 0.8 cents compares to negative (1.5 cents) in the prior period, predominantly reflecting the $471m exceptional derivative and foreign exchange losses in the prior period, compared to $231m in the current period.
