Airtel Kenya’s customer base surpassed the 24-million-mark by the end of March 2025.
In the first quarter alone, Airtel gained 3.01 million new SIM card customers, beating its rival Safaricom, which added 1.7 million customers during the same period.
Airtel Kenya Managing Director Ashish Malhotra thanked the over 24 million customers, attributing the company’s growth to their loyalty and continued confidence in the brand.
“We are deeply humbled by the support of over 24 million customers who continue to believe in us. This is not the destination; it is part of a longer journey.
We are committed to Kenya, and whilst we have made huge investments, our mission of enriching lives and driving progress is still not done,” said Ashish Malhotra in statement.
This year, Airtel money has emerged as a strong competitor to Safaricom’s M-Pesa in the mobile money market, as the number of mobile money subscribers in Kenya rose by 4.1 percent to 42.3 million in the three months ending December 2024.
While Safaricom market share dropped to 63.3 percent in the first quarter of 2025, down from 64.4 percent in the previous quarter.
This was a continued a downward trend that began in late 2024, when its share fell from 65.3% in December 2024 and 65.7% in September 2024.
Airtel Kenya Grows Customer Base
Airtel closed the quarter with 24.5 million active SIM cards, up from 21.5 million in December 2024, representing a 13.95 per cent growth in just three months.
Meanwhile, Safaricom recorded a 3.6 percent increase in its customer base, growing from 46.6 million to 48.2 million by the end of March this year.
At the same time, Airtel Money expanded its presence, reaching a market share of 9.1 percent—its highest level to date.
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Growth of the Telco Company
Malhotra stressed that Airtel is continuously investing in network infrastructure, customer service, and distribution channels to expand its reach and better serve Kenyans.
He noted that the company has made significant progress in extending connectivity to unreached regions, including Mandera, Wajir, and Garissa.
He also highlighted recent upgrades to the Airtel Money platform, which he said have led to increased customer trust in the telco’s financial services.
He reinforced the message behind the ‘Na Bado Tunagrow’ campaign, stating that Airtel remains committed to growth and nationwide service improvement.
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Airtel Money Market Share Grows
According to a report by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), both Airtel’s GSM and Airtel Money segments recorded steady growth during the quarter.
Of the 42,302,833 mobile money subscribers recorded between October and December 2024, Airtel Money accounted for 8.9 percent, representing 3,764,952 customers.
This was a notable increase from the previous quarter, when it held a 7.6 percent share of the 40.6 million total subscribers.
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