What Airtel Zambia PLC does

Airtel Zambia PLC is a Zambian mobile telecommunications operator publicly listed on the Lusaka Stock Exchange (ticker: AIRT) and operating as a subsidiary of the pan-African group Airtel Africa. The legal operating entity, Airtel Networks Zambia Plc, runs a 2G/3G/4G/5G mobile network that the company describes as the largest in Zambia, with coverage across all ten provinces. The product portfolio spans prepaid and postpaid voice (Freedom tariff at K0.0165/second with per-second billing), SMS, data bundles (Tonse, app-exclusive offers), and value-added services such as So Che packs, Data Me2u, international roaming, VoLTE, and conference calling. Device sales (5G routers, MiFi, smartphones, dongles) and the 5G Outdoor Unit (ODU) broadband device extend the offering into home and business fixed-wireless connectivity.

Mobile financial services are operated through the wholly-owned subsidiary Airtel Mobile Commerce Zambia Limited under the Airtel Money brand, licensed by the Bank of Zambia. Airtel Money provides cash-in/out, P2P transfers with interoperability to MTN and Zamtel, bill payments (ZESCO, LWSC, DSTV, GOTV), merchant payments, savings, Nasova loans, and a Mastercard-powered Airtel Virtual Card for online and international payments.

The business model is a hybrid of subscription-recurring voice/data tariffs and take-rate-based mobile money transactions, with hardware sales as a secondary stream. Go-to-market combines product-led self-service via USSD codes (*117#, *115#, *100#) and the My Airtel App with a physical distribution layer of 52+ Airtel Shops and service centers across Zambia plus authorized dealers and a tiered Airtel Money agent network earning 0.5%–1% commission on cash-in/cash-out. Enterprise customers are served by dedicated business advisors on a dedicated line (+260977915000). Pricing is denominated in Zambian Kwacha (ZMW), with prepaid defaults at K0.05/MB data and bundle tiers ranging from K2 daily voice packs to K5,000 180-day 50Mbps 5G broadband plans; Airtel Money wallet tiers cap daily limits at K20,000 (Gold Tier 1) to K100,000 (Platinum Tier 2).

Name

Airtel Zambia PLC

Legal name

Airtel Networks Zambia Plc

Website

https://airtel.co.zm

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Airtel Zambia PLC is a publicly listed Zambian mobile telecommunications operator and Airtel Africa subsidiary running the country's largest 2G/3G/4G/5G network across all ten provinces, serving prepaid and postpaid consumers, enterprise customers, and Airtel Money mobile financial services users through 52+ retail outlets, USSD, the My Airtel App, and an agent network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mobile Telecommunications

NAICS

Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (517112), Wired and Wireless Telecommunications (except Satellite) (5171)

SIC

Radiotelephone Communications (4812)

akta.pro primary industry

Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) Mobile Operators (HDAIAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Carrier Billing & Telco Mobile Money (FSAMAEAD), Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) Broadband Providers (HDAIABAE), Mobile Roaming & Interconnect Services (roaming hubs, IREG/TADIG, clearing) (HDAIAEAE)

Keywords

• Mobile telecommunications services
• Mobile money services
• Mobile broadband internet
• Prepaid voice tariffs
• Data bundle plans

Headquarters

HQ city

Lusaka

HQ country

Zambia

HQ region

Africa

Offices18 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Mobile Voice Services: Prepaid and postpaid voice services with per-second billing, featuring Freedom tariff plan as default offering
2. Mobile Data Services: Data bundles including Tonse Data Bundles, App-only offers, and 5G unlimited plans with tiered pricing based on validity and volume
3. SMS Services: SMS messaging to Airtel and other networks with various tariff options
4. Airtel Money Financial Services: Mobile money services including cash in/out, transfers, bill payments, merchant payments with transaction fees and commission from agent network
5. Device Sales: Sale of 5G routers, MiFi devices, phones, and dongles for home and business broadband
6. Value Added Services (VAS):

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Airtel Zambia PLC operates Zambia's largest mobile telecommunications network, offering prepaid and postpaid voice, SMS, and data services over 2G/3G/4G/5G infrastructure. Its core offering extends beyond connectivity into mobile financial services through the Airtel Money platform (licensed by the Bank of Zambia), supporting money transfers, bill payments, merchant payments, savings, loans (Nasova), and a Mastercard-powered virtual card, complemented by home and business broadband solutions including 5G Smart Connect plans.

Product overview

Airtel Zambia PLC operates as a telecommunications provider offering a comprehensive mobile services portfolio. The core offerings include prepaid and postpaid voice services (with New Freedom as the default tariff), high-speed internet via 4G and 5G networks, and the Airtel Money mobile financial services platform. Value-added services encompass voice bundles (So Che, Ikali), data sharing (Me2u), international roaming, broadband devices (5G ODU, 4G routers, MiFi, dongles), and a Virtual Card for online payments. The products work together as an integrated ecosystem where voice/data services form the core connectivity offering, Airtel Money enables mobile payments and financial services, and broadband devices extend connectivity to homes and businesses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Airtel Money: Mobile financial services platform offering digital payments, money transfers, mobile wallet, virtual card services, loans and savings products
• So Che
• 5G
• Tonse Data Bundles
• Airtel Care App

Products and services

• New Freedom Tariff Default prepaid tariff plan for individual subscribers offering per-second voice billing and competitive rates for SMS and data in Zambia. Targeted at prepaid mobile consumers seeking affordable everyday connectivity.
• 5G Network Service Fifth-generation mobile network technology delivering speeds up to 100x faster than 4G with ultra-low latency and massive capacity. Available to residential and business customers across covered areas of Zambia.
• 4G LTE Mobile Network

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Utility Companies (ZESCO, LWSC, Nkana Water and Sewerage, GOTV, DSTV)coreOthersIntegration enabling Airtel Money users to pay utility bills and subscription services including electricity (ZESCO), water services, and TV subscriptions directly from their mobile money accounts.
• Merchant Partners (Debonairs, Steers, Milky Lane, Woolworths)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMerchant payment network allowing Airtel Money users to pay for goods and services at partner retail locations across Zambia.
• MastercardcoreTechnology or IntegrationAirtel Virtual Card powered by Mastercard network enabling online payments, e-commerce transactions, and international purchases using the Airtel Money wallet.
• Bank PartnerscoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration enabling Airtel Money users to transfer funds between mobile wallets and bank accounts, with support for linked accounts and balance checking.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Orange Middle East and Africa: Operates mobile networks and Orange Money across multiple African countries (including DRC, Mali, Senegal); comparable integrated telecom and mobile money offering with similar regulatory and consumer affordability dynamics.
• Vodacom Group: Major African mobile operator group (including Vodacom Tanzania, DRC) with M-Pesa-style mobile money; comparable integrated telecom-plus-fintech model across sub-Saharan Africa and a relevant peer for valuation and ARPU benchmarking.
• MTN Group: Pan-African telecom group with mobile and MoMo mobile money operations across multiple African markets; MTN Zambia sits inside this group and is Airtel's primary regional competitor, sharing operational and regulatory dynamics.
• Safaricom (Kenya): East African MNO operating voice, data, broadband, and the M-Pesa mobile money ecosystem; similar integrated telecom-plus-fintech model in a sub-Saharan African market, making it a strong regional benchmark for ARPU uplift and fintech monetization.
• Airtel Africa PLC: Parent company and broader pan-African telecom group operating mobile and mobile money businesses across 14 African countries; Airtel Zambia is one of its listed operating subsidiaries with directly comparable business model.

Direct peers

• Zamtel: State-owned Zambian mobile operator offering voice, data, and Zamtel Kwacha mobile money; competes directly with Airtel in the same regulated telecom and mobile money market with the advantage of government backing.
• MTN Zambia: Direct competitor in Zambia offering mobile voice, data, and MTN Mobile Money with overlapping nationwide coverage and similar prepaid/postpaid tariff structures; competes head-to-head with Airtel in subscribers, ARPU, and fintech share.

Others

• Helios Towers: Telecom tower operator with significant sub-Saharan African footprint; analogous infrastructure provider for African MNOs including peers of Airtel Zambia, relevant for tower-sharing economics and capex benchmarking.
• IHS Towers: Independent tower and telecom infrastructure operator across Africa including Zambia; provides the passive network infrastructure that Airtel Zambia's active mobile services depend on, making it a key supplier and ecosystem comparable.

Regional players

• Econet Wireless (Zimbabwe/Levantine): Southern African mobile operator group offering voice, data, and EcoCash mobile money in Zimbabwe and adjacent markets; comparable integrated telecom-fintech model in a neighbouring economy with similar mobile-first consumer behavior.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/airtel_zambia
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/AirtelInZambia
• Facebookfacebook.com/Airtelzm

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Airtel Zambia PLC