Airtel Launches Mobile Money in 2026 to Rival M-Pesa & MoMo

In an effort to capitalise on the rising demand for digital payment services throughout the continent, Airtel Africa, said on Thursday that it intends to float Airtel Money, its mobile money division, in the first half of 2026.

Amid increased investor interest in Africa’s fintech industry, especially mobile payment services that provide millions of unbanked users with access to transactions, credit, and remittances, Airtel announced the listing intention on Thursday. London-listed Airtel Africa, which operates in 14 African nations, told Reuters that the IPO would provide Airtel Money with the autonomy and visibility it needs to expand.

With the anticipated IPO, Airtel Money is attempting to catch up to competitors in the rapidly expanding digital payments sector, such as MTN’s MoMo and Safaricom’s M-Pesa. Airtel Money intends to compete with industry titans that have substantial user bases and extensive market penetration by gaining autonomy and generating money through the IPO.

The company reiterated its plan to go public, which it had first declared in 2024 when it started looking into a possible spin-off of the rapidly expanding division, even though it did not reveal the exchange or fundraising goal. The company’s original goal was July 2025.

“We are dedicated to the July IPO schedule. We still have six months to work out the specifics,” stated Sunil Taldar, the CEO of Airtel Africa, in January. “Investing in the robust expansion of the company continues to be our top priority.”

With sales from the service increasing by 20.7% in 2024, Airtel Money has become a major growth driver for the firm. Due to the platform’s increasing popularity in important areas, $112 billion worth of transactions were handled last year.

In places where mobile money usage is still growing but is still far from saturation, such as Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Airtel is placing a wager that a standalone listing will hasten the growth of Airtel Money. With more than 30 million active users in 14 markets and bank relationships, Airtel Money hopes to compete with regional rivals like South Africa’s and Kenya’s Safaricom.

Even though Airtel Money has grown quickly in recent years, it still has room for improvement. With over $300 billion in annual transactions, Safaricom’s M-Pesa is still the most popular mobile payment method in many homes and companies in Kenya and neighbouring Tanzania. MoMo from MTN has a wider reach throughout West and Central Africa. MoMo has 65 million active users, compared to an estimated 66.2 million for M-Pesa.