• Airtel Uganda invested UGX 87.8 billion ($23.5 million) in H1 2025, adding 176 new 4G sites and 150 5G sites.
• Airtel counted 17.9 million subscribers and UGX 1.08 trillion ($309 million) in H1 2025 revenue, up 12.3%.
• MTN remains market leader with 22.8 million subscribers and UGX 1.72 trillion revenue in the same period.

Airtel Uganda plans to expand its network coverage, improve service quality, and make digital devices more affordable as part of efforts to consolidate its market position against rival MTN.

The company outlined its ambitions during a meeting last week between the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and a delegation from Airtel Africa led by CEO Sunil Taldar.

Today, @UCC_ED met with Sunil Taldar, Chief executive officer Airtel, and his team from @Airtel_Ug. They discussed the company's commitment to Uganda, efforts to improve telecom infrastructure, and the need for regulatory cooperation. Both sides agreed to address challenges like… pic.twitter.com/F8XfNeNWuC

— UCC (@UCC_Official) September 5, 2025

Airtel reported that it invested UGX 87.8 billion ($23.5 million) in its network during the first half of 2025. The operator deployed 176 new 4G sites, achieving 100% 4G network coverage and reaching 91.5% of the population.

The company also rolled out 150 5G sites and installed 1,793 kilometers of fiber optic cable to strengthen capacity and reduce congestion.

Airtel said these investments aim to enhance user experience, expand access to telecom services, and drive higher consumption of internet services. The operator also targets the challenge of low smartphone penetration, which remains a barrier to internet adoption.

In its financial report for the first half of 2025, Airtel stated its commitment to improving the customer experience by simplifying the customer journey across all touchpoints and delivering a top-tier voice and data experience through new network deployments, upgrades, and fibre expansion. The operator also expressed optimism about achieving strong growth in both customer numbers and revenue as the company enters the second half of the year.

By June 30, 2025, Airtel Uganda had 17.9 million subscribers, including 7.5 million internet users. The operator posted revenue of UGX 1.08 trillion ($309 million) for H1 2025, a 12.3% increase from a year earlier.

By comparison, MTN Uganda reported 22.8 million mobile subscribers and 10.8 million internet users in the same period. The MTN unit declared revenue of UGX 1.72 trillion.

This article was initially published in French by Isaac K. Kassouwi
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum