FRI MAY 22 2026-theGBJournal| Barclays Capital Securities Limited has been appointed to spearhead Airtel Africa’s latest shareholder return initiative, as the telecommunications and mobile money giant unveiled a share buyback programme today worth up to $110 million.
Under the arrangement, Barclays will independently execute on-market purchases of Airtel Africa shares as part of the first tranche of a broader plan to repurchase up to 1% of the company’s issued share capital,
The arrangement comprises two elements which will operate in parallel
-a non-discretionary element pursuant to which Barclays will purchase up to $60 million of ordinary shares (and not less than $50 million) and will make trading decisions independently of the Company;
-and-a discretionary element pursuant to which the Company may, at its discretion and subject to the provisions of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No 596/2014, provide instructions to Barclays for the purchase up to an additional $50 million of ordinary shares.
According to Airtel, the agreement has commenced today, and is anticipated to terminate no later than 27 November 2026, unless terminated earlier in accordance with its terms.
The Company said that it may in due course announce further tranches of the Programme as may be required to fulfil its objective of repurchasing up to 1% of its issued share capital as at the date of this announcement.
The move underscores Airtel Africa’s confidence in its strong balance sheet, robust cash generation and long-term growth prospects across its 14 African markets, while reinforcing its commitment to enhancing shareholder value through disciplined capital allocation.
According to Airtel, all shares acquired under the programme, which is expected to run until November 2026, will be cancelled, reducing the company’s capital base and potentially boosting earnings per share for investors.
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