Airtel Africa has announced that its Senior Independent Non-Executive Director, Andrew Green, will retire effective January 29, 2026, following more than six years on the board.
Green first joined the board and has served as a senior director, supporting the company’s expansion and governance oversight during a period of significant operational growth. The board acknowledged his dedicated service in a filing with the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) and expressed appreciation for his contributions.
In light of Green’s planned departure, Airtel Africa has named Tsega Gebreyes as his successor. Gebreyes previously was appointed a Non-Executive Director on October 12, 2021, and currently chairs the Remuneration Committee while also serving on the Nominations Committee. She will assume the role of Senior Independent Non-Executive Director on January 29, 2026.
As part of the board reshuffle, the company also disclosed that Cynthia Gordon will step up to become Chair of the Remuneration Committee when Gebreyes vacates that position.
Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal thanked Green for his leadership, “vision, integrity, and deep industry knowledge,” which he said had left a lasting impact on the company.
The announcement comes at a time when Airtel Africa is reporting strong financial performance. For the half year ended September 30, 2025, data revenue rose 37 % in constant currency to US$1.16 billion, overtaking voice revenue for the first time in the company’s history. Total revenue climbed 25.8 % year-on-year (24.5 % constant currency) to US$2.98 billion, driven in large part by Nigeria (US$697 million, +49 % constant currency).
Network expansion remains a key focus: the company added 2,350 new network sites in the period, bringing its total to 38,300, and extended fibre capacity by 4,000 km to over 81,000 km. Capital expenditure (capex) for FY2026 is budgeted at US$875 million to US$900 million to support continued growth and 5G deployment across five countries.
By preparing for this leadership transition while highlighting strong operational results, Airtel Africa appears to be positioning itself for the next phase of growth under new governance leadership.
The leadership change arrives as Airtel Africa delivers robust revenue growth, data revenue rose 37 %, total revenue climbed 25.8 %, and profit after tax surged 375 % for the half year. This signals investor confidence and underscores telecoms’ critical role in Africa’s digital economy expansion.
