India's Second-Largest Telecom Company Increases Airtel Africa Stake To 79% Through 16.3% Share Swap Deal
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Bharti Airtel has completed the acquisition of a 16.3 per cent stake in Airtel Africa from Indian Continent Investment Limited through a share swap transaction, increasing its effective holding in the Africa business to approximately 79 per cent.
✨ Key Takeaways
On Tuesday, Indian equity benchmarks traded lower, with the benchmark Nifty 50 index declining 0.65 per cent to 23,946.60. Amid the broader market weakness, Bharti Airtel traded at Rs 1,912.70, down 0.20 per cent from the previous close.
Bharti Airtel Raises Airtel Africa Stake To 79 per cent
Bharti Airtel announced that it has completed the acquisition of 59,52,04,251 shares, representing approximately 16.3 per cent stake in Airtel Africa plc, from Indian Continent Investment Limited (ICIL). Following the completion of the transaction, Bharti Airtel's effective stake in the UK-listed Airtel Africa has increased to approximately 79 per cent.
The acquisition forms part of a previously announced composite transaction and was completed following approvals from the company's Board of Directors, shareholders, and the required statutory and regulatory authorities.
Bharti Airtel Share Swap Transaction
As part of the transaction structure, Bharti Airtel allotted 14,67,61,335 fully paid-up equity shares with a face value of Rs 5 each to ICIL on a preferential basis. The allotment was made in exchange for ICIL's 16.3 per cent shareholding in Airtel Africa.
Following the share swap, ICIL now holds approximately 3.25 per cent of Bharti Airtel's post-issue equity share capital, thereby becoming a minority shareholder in the telecom major.
Bharti Airtel Strengthens Control Over African Operations
The transaction further consolidates Bharti Airtel's ownership in Airtel Africa and strengthens its controlling position in the African business. The company stated that the deal also simplifies the shareholding structure between Bharti Airtel, Airtel Africa and ICIL.
Airtel Africa is one of the leading telecommunications and mobile money service providers across multiple African markets and remains an important growth driver for Bharti Airtel's international operations.
Bharti Airtel Impact On Share Capital
Consequent to the preferential allotment, Bharti Airtel's paid-up equity share capital increased to Rs 3,120.16 crore, comprising 6,24,00,43,648 fully paid-up equity shares and 11,10,668 partly paid-up equity shares.
The company informed both the National Stock Exchange and BSE regarding the completion of the acquisition and allotment process on June 23, 2026.
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About Bharti Airtel
Bharti Airtel Ltd is one of India's leading telecommunications companies, providing mobile services, broadband, digital TV, enterprise connectivity, cloud, cybersecurity and IoT solutions. The company has operations across India, Africa and other international markets.
Headquartered in Gurugram, Bharti Airtel serves more than 590 million customers across 17 countries. During FY25, the company reported consolidated revenue from operations of approximately Rs 1.73 lakh crore, with India and Africa remaining its two key operating segments.
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Disclaimer: The article is for informational purposes only and not investment advice.