Indus Towers Africa Expansion Targets Growth in Key Airtel Markets
Backed by Airtel and a deep balance sheet, Indus Towers is preparing to test whether its scale-driven model can work in the fast-changing and highly competitive African market.
Indus Towers Africa, the Bharti Airtel-backed giant that dominates India’s tower infrastructure space, is preparing for its first major move abroad. The company has cleared plans to expand into Africa, starting with Nigeria, Uganda and Zambia — markets where Airtel already has a strong foothold.
The announcement marks a significant turn for Indus, which has so far confined its operations to India’s 22 telecom circles, where it manages more than 251,000 towers. By stepping into Africa, the company hopes to diversify revenue streams while extending its long-standing partnership with Airtel into new territory.
Building on Airtel’s footprint
Airtel Africa operates in 14 countries across the continent, with more than 166 million subscribers as of March 2025. Nigeria remains its largest and most lucrative market, while Uganda and Zambia offer high-growth potential as mobile penetration deepens.
Indus is positioning itself to ride on that momentum. The company described the chosen markets as “attractive prospects for operational scalability and long-term value creation,” pointing to its financial stability and technical expertise as advantages it can bring to African operators.
A crowded field of rivals
Indus will enter a competitive landscape already shaped by established players. IHS Towers, Helios Towers and American Tower Corporation (ATC) dominate Africa’s independent tower sector. ATC, in particular, has been building ties with Airtel Africa since 2022, when it signed a multi-year agreement covering thousands of sites across Kenya, Niger, Nigeria and Uganda.
That deal drew the attention of regional regulators but was later extended for 12 years in 2023, underscoring both the demand for tower infrastructure and the high stakes of competition. Indus will now have to carve out space for itself in a market where relationships and regulatory approvals are just as important as scale.
Beyond the first three countries
The company has hinted that Nigeria, Uganda and Zambia are only a starting point. It will also evaluate other Airtel Africa markets such as Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Expansion into those territories would put Indus in direct competition with rivals across nearly every major telecom market in Sub-Saharan Africa.
A long game ahead
Prachur Sah, Indus Towers’ managing director and chief executive, framed the move as a play for long-term relevance in fast-growing markets. “By leveraging our expertise in delivering innovative and cost-effective solutions, we are well-positioned to differentiate ourselves in Africa’s telecom market and emerge as the preferred tower company,” he said in the company’s filing.
For Indus, the strategy will hinge on how quickly it can replicate its scale-driven efficiencies from India while adapting to Africa’s regulatory and operational complexities. The company’s board has already acknowledged that approvals and compliance in each country will be critical hurdles.
Still, the move represents a clear statement of intent. For a firm that has until now been tightly bound to India, Africa offers not just growth but a chance to test whether Indus’ model can travel — and compete — on a global stage.
Go to TECHTRENDSKE.co.ke for more tech and business news from the African continent.
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