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{{Short description|Ugandan telecommunications company}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Airtel Uganda
| logo = Airtel Africa logo.svg
| logo_size = 150px
| type = [[Public company|Public]]: [[Uganda Securities Exchange|USE]]:'''AIRTEL UGANDA'''
| services = {{unbulleted list|[[Telecommunications]]|[[Information technology]]|[[Carrier (bearer)|Carrier]]}}
| industry = [[Telecommunications]]
| area_served = [[Uganda]]
| key_people = Soumendra Sahu<br/>([[managing director]])<ref name="Bio">{{cite web |author=Nile Post |date=8 August 201 |title=Airtel Uganda gets new managing director |url=https://nilepost.co.ug/news/220933/airtel-uganda-gets-new-managing-director |access-date=30 January 2018 |publisher=Techjaja.com}}</ref>
| products = [[Mobile telephony]] <br /> [[Broadband]] <br /> [[Internet service provider|Internet services]]
| predecessor = [[Zain Group|Zain Uganda]] <br> [[Celtel|Celtel Uganda]]
| foundation = {{start date and years ago|2010|06|08}}
| revenue = {{profit}} US$457 million (2023)<ref name="2020DataR">{{cite web| work=[[The East African]] | url=https://www.use.or.ug/sites/default/files/Airtel%20Uganda%20Financial%20Results%20-%20Advert.pdf |date=8 January 2022 |title=Airtel Uganda Financial Year Result for year ended on 31 Dec 2023 |author=Airtel Uganda | access-date=11 January 2022 |location=Nairobi, Kenya}}</ref>
| net_income = {{up}} US$76.08 million (2023)
| assets = {{up}} US$564 million (2023)
| equity = {{up}} US$32.47 million (2023)
| num_employees =
| parent = [[Airtel Africa]]
| location = Airtel Towers, 16A Clement Hill Road, [[Kampala]], Uganda
| website = {{URL|https://www.airtel.co.ug/}}
| footnotes =
}}

'''Airtel Uganda Limited''' is a mobile communications and information technology services provider in [[Uganda]]. The company also offers mobile funds transfer and banking services known as Airtel Payments Bank. Airtel Uganda Limited is a subsidiary of [[Airtel Africa|Airtel Africa PLC]].<ref name="One">{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.ug/airtel-uganda-records-shs-160bn-net-profit/ |title=Airtel Uganda records Shs160 billion net profit |access-date=30 January 2018 |date=12 September 2017 |first=Isaac |last=Khisa |newspaper=[[The Independent (Uganda)]] |location=Kampala}}</ref>

==Location==
[[File:Airtel Clock Tower.jpg|thumb|Airtel clock tower in the center of Kibuye roundabout]]

The headquarters of Airtel Uganda are located in ''Airtel Towers'', along Clement Hill Road, in the [[Kampala Central Division|Central Division]] of [[Kampala]], the county's capital and largest city. The coordinates of the headquarters are 0°19'14.0"N, 32°35'18.0"E (Latitude:0.320556; Longitude:32.588333).<ref name="LocR">{{google maps| url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/0%C2%B019'14.0%22N+32%C2%B035'18.0%22E/@0.3205299,32.5883558,56m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x7840c3a6dbb49d87!8m2!3d0.3205556!4d32.5883333?hl=en | title=Location of Headquarters of Airtel Uganda Limited |
access-date=8 December 2021}}</ref>

==History==
Airtel entered the Uganda market on June 8, 2010 when Bharti Airtel acquired 16 Zain Africa operations. In 2013, Airtel fully acquired Warid Telecom Uganda in the first ever in-country acquisition in the telecommunications sector. With this, Airtel further consolidated its position as the second largest mobile operator in Uganda with a combined customer base of over 7.4 million and market share of over 39 percent cementing its position as the number 2 mobile telephone network, behind market leader [[MTN Uganda]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Airtel buys Warid Telecom |date=23 April 2016 | url=http://www.monitor.co.ug/OpEd/Editorial/Airtel-buys-Warid-Telecom--/-/689360/1756308/-/ygcp58/-/index.html |access-date=11 July 2016 |work=[[Daily Monitor]] |author=Faridah Kulabako | location=Kampala}}</ref>

In 2018, Airtel hit the 10 million customer mark.<ref>{{cite web| last=Reporter|first=C. E. O.|date=2020-06-08|title=10 years and 10 million customers- Airtel Uganda marks a decade of transformation in Uganda|url=https://www.ceo.co.ug/10-years-and-10-million-customers-airtel-uganda-marks-a-decade-of-transformation-in-uganda/|access-date=2020-08-28|website=CEO East Africa|language=en-US}}</ref> This milestone cemented Airtel’s position as the fastest growing telecom in Uganda. In January 2019, Airtel Uganda achieved 100 percent 4G LTE across all its sites in Uganda,<ref>{{Cite web|last=admini|title=Airtel Uganda's Role in the Transformation of the Sector from Telecom to Digital – theinsider.ug|date=13 July 2020 |url=https://theinsider.ug/index.php/2020/07/13/airtel-ugandas-role-in-the-transformation-of-the-sector-from-telecom-to-digital/|access-date=2020-08-28|language=en-US}}</ref> translating the national broadband policy into reality. The telco owns in excess of 2,000 masts in Uganda, as of April 2020.<ref>{{Cite web| last=Uganda Communications Commission |date=15 April 2020 | title=UCC ED applauds Airtel as telecom celebrates 2,000 masts | url=https://uccinfo.blog/2020/04/15/ucc-ed-applauds-airtel-as-telecom-celebrates-2000-masts/ |work=Uganda Communications Commission |access-date=11 January 2022}}</ref>

== Overview ==
Airtel Uganda is one of the leading telecommunication service providers in Uganda, offering communication products and services; 2G, 3G and 4G wireless voice, data services and mobile commerce through Airtel Money. As of March 2021, the [[Uganda Communications Commission]] (UCC), estimated the number of subscribers to Airtel Uganda at 10 million out of the 28.3 million mobile network subscribers in the country. This translated into a 35.3 percent market share.<ref name="ShhR">{{cite web| url=https://www.independent.co.ug/fears-over-mtn-airtel-dominance-in-ugandas-telecom-sector/ |title=Fears over MTN, Airtel dominance in Uganda's telecom sector |work=[[The Independent (Uganda)]] | date=6 October 2021 |author=The Independent Uganda |access-date=7 October 2021 |place=Kampala, Uganda}}</ref>

== Airtel Money ==
The Airtel Money platform is a primary contributor to financial inclusion and a key point for financial inclusion with over 5 million customers as at 31 March 2018. Airtel Uganda launched Mobile Commerce in 2012.<ref>{{cite web| work=Capital FM Kenya |
url=https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/business/2012/02/airtel-money-launches-in-uganda/ |title=Airtel Money Launches In Uganda |date=2 February 2012 |author=[[98.4 Capital FM]] |access-date=10 November 2023 |location=Nairobi, Kenya}}</ref>

== Investment ==
Airtel is a long term investor with a single largest foreign direct investment from India to Uganda. The company is among the leading tax payers in Uganda.<ref name="TaxR"/>

In 2019, Airtel was recognized as Uganda’s biggest taxpayer for compliance in remitting taxes to Uganda Revenue Authority. Airtel Uganda paid taxes worth UGX136 billion (approx. US$38 million), in the financial year 2018/19 winning the Excel Award.<ref name="TaxR">{{cite web| title=URA recognises large tax payers, Airtel tops list |newspaper=[[Daily Monitor]] |date=4 October 2019 |url=https://www.monitor.co.ug/Business/Finance/URA-recognises-large-tax-payers-Airtel-tops-list/688608-5298956-11gead3z/index.html |author=Daily Monitor |access-date=25 June 2021 |location=Kampala}}</ref>

== Infrastructure investment ==
Airtel invests in local ICT and telecom infrastructure; 2,000 sites and over 3,900 kilometers of fiber across Uganda cover 95.9 percent core and transmission networks and mobile financial services platform.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Independent |first=The |date=2020-04-15 |title=Airtel Uganda network sites hit 2000 countrywide |url=https://www.independent.co.ug/airtel-uganda-network-sites-hit-2000-countrywide/ |access-date=2025-10-20 |website=The Independent Uganda |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Governance==
Soumendra Sahu has been managing director of Airtel Uganda since December 2024.<ref>{{cite web | title=Who is Soumendra Sahu, Airtel Uganda's new Managing Director? | date=10 October 2024 | url=https://www.ceo.co.ug/who-is-soumendra-sahu-airtel-ugandas-new-managing-director/ }}</ref>

==Shareholding==
As of 6 November 2023, the shareholding in the [[Share capital|stock]] of the company was as depicted in the table below:<ref name="ShareR"> {{cite web| work=[[Daily Monitor]] |title=Airtel IPO undersubscribed |date=6 November 2023 |author=Deogratius Wamala | url=https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/airtel-ipo-undersubscribed--4425416 |access-date=8 November 2023 | location=Kampala, Uganda}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto"
|+ '''Shareholding in Airtel Uganda Limited'''
|-
! style="width:2em;" | Rank
! Name of owner
! % ownership post-IPO
! Ref.
|-
| 1 || [[Bharti Airtel]] ||{{center|88.11}} ||<ref name="ShareR"/>
|-
| 2 || [[National Social Security Fund (Uganda)|NSSF Uganda]]|| {{center|11.55}}||<ref name="ShareR"/>
|-
| 3 || Over 4,000 retail investors || {{center|0.34}}||<ref name="ShareR"/>
|-
| ||'''Total'''||{{center|'''100.00'''}} ||
|-
|}

==License renewal==
In December 2020, print media reported that Airtel Uganda had paid US$74.6 million to the Uganda government in exchange for a 20-year National Telecom Operator's License. The basic license cost US$63.2 million and Value Added Tax (VAT) came to US$11.4 million. As a condition for the license, that is effective on 1 July 2020, the telco has until 1 July 2025 to extend coverage of both voice and data to at least 90 percent of Uganda's geographical territory.<ref name="Lic1R">{{cite web| url=https://www.pmldaily.com/business/2020/12/airtel-uganda-gets-new-20-year-national-telecom-operator-licence.html |title=Airtel Uganda gets new 20-year national telecom operator licence | publisher=PML Daily |date=18 December 2020 |author=Javira Ssebwami |access-date=23 December 2020 |location=Kampala}}</ref><ref name="Lic2R">{{cite web| title=Airtel Gets 20-Year New Operator Licence, Uganda Earns Shs272.6bn From Deal | url=https://businessfocus.co.ug/airtel-gets-20-year-new-operator-licence-uganda-earns-shs272-6bn-from-deal/ |date=20 December 2020 |publisher=Uganda Business Focus |access-date=23 December 2020 |author=Taddewo William Senyonyi |location=Kampala}}</ref>

In January 2022, ''[[The EastAfrican]]'' reported that the license payment made in December 2020 was for the ten years from July 2020 to June 2030. Another estimated US$77.78 million was owed to the Uganda Government for the period from July 2030 until June 2040.<ref name="2020DataR"/>

==Listing of shares==
It is expected that Airtel Uganda would list at least 20 percent of its shares of stock on the [[Uganda Securities Exchange]] (USE) in 2022, to comply with Ugandan laws and regulations.<ref name="15R">{{cite web| work=TheAfricaReport.com | url=https://www.theafricareport.com/155862/uganda-frontier-market-category-on-the-horizon-after-mtn-listing/ |date=15 December 2021 |title=With MTN listing in 2021, Airtel in 2022… is Uganda close to 'Frontier Market' category? |author=Musinguzi Blanshe |access-date=5 July 2022 |location=Paris, France}}</ref> In April 2022, the telco requested for a one-year extension to the original listing deadline of December 2022.<ref name="16R">{{cite web| work=[[Business Daily Africa]] |date=20 May 2022 | url=https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/bd/corporate/companies/airtel-seeks-to-delay-listing-of-uganda-unit-3821056 |title=Airtel seeks to delay listing of Uganda unit |author=Constant Munda | access-date=5 July 2022 |location=Nairobi, Kenya}}</ref>

In Q3 2023 Airtel Uganda announced its intention to list 8 billion existing shares of the company stock, comprising 20 percent shareholding on the USE, between 29 August and 13 October 2023, to comply with Uganda's licensing laws. Each share is listed at USh:100 (approx. US$0.02717) and the IPO is expected to raise USh:800 billion (approx. US$217.34 million). Airtel selected [[Absa Bank Uganda Limited|Absa Bank Uganda]] as its lead transaction advisor for the process and Crested Stocks and Securities Limited as its lead sponsoring broker.<ref name="20percR">{{cite web| url=https://nilepost.co.ug/2023/08/29/airtel-uganda-shares-go-for-shs100/ |title=Airtel Uganda shares go for Shs100 |work=Nile Post Uganda |date=29 August 2023 |author=Kenneth Kazibwe |access-date=29 August 2023 | location=Kampala, Uganda}}</ref> On 7 November 2023, the shares of stock of Airtel Uganda began trading on the USE under the symbol: '''AIRTEL UGANDA'''.<ref>{{cite web| work=[[Daily Monitor]] |date=7 November 2023 | url=https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/business/technology/airtel-lists-on-uganda-securities-exchange-4426220 |title=Airtel lists on Uganda securities exchange |author=Deogratius Wamala |access-date=8 November 2023 |location=Kampala, Uganda}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of mobile network operators in Uganda]]

==References==
{{reflist}}<ref>{{cite web | title=Who is Soumendra Sahu, Airtel Uganda's new Managing Director? | date=10 October 2024 | url=https://www.ceo.co.ug/who-is-soumendra-sahu-airtel-ugandas-new-managing-director/ }}</ref>

==External links==
* [http://www.africa.airtel.com/wps/wcm/connect/africarevamp/Uganda/ Website of Airtel Uganda]
*[http://www.monitor.co.ug/Business/Technology/Internet-key-growth-Airtel-boss/688612-4609034-brk8eu/index.html Internet key to growth, Airtel boss] As of 13 June 2018.

{{coord|00|19|14|N|32|35|18|E|display=title}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Bharti Enterprises}}
{{Kampala District}}
{{Mobile network operators in Uganda}}

[[Category:Bharti Airtel]]
[[Category:Kampala Central Division]]
[[Category:Telecommunications companies established in 1995]]
[[Category:Mobile phone companies of Uganda]]
[[Category:1995 establishments in Uganda]]
[[Category:Telecommunications companies of Uganda]]
[[Category:Companies based in Kampala]]

Airtel Uganda - Revision history

Samyakk clothing at 21:50, 2 May 2026