Airtel Kenya appoints Djibril Tobe as Managing Director to drive next phase of growth

Airtel Kenya has appointed Senegalese telecommunications executive Djibril Tobe as its new Managing Director, signalling a new chapter for the country's second-largest mobile network operator as it seeks to strengthen its market position and accelerate growth.

Tobe succeeds Ashish Malhotra, who is leaving the company after four years to become Chief Executive of Indus Towers Africa. During his tenure, Malhotra oversaw a period of significant expansion that saw Airtel Kenya double its revenue and increase its customer base from 16 million to more than 24 million subscribers.

Before taking up his new role in Kenya, Tobe served as Managing Director of Airtel Congo B from May 2023. He has also held senior leadership positions within the Airtel Africa Group, including Managing Director of Airtel Chad and Commercial Director of Airtel Burkina Faso. His career spans roles at Expresso Guinea, Ernst & Young and Coca-Cola, bringing extensive experience in telecommunications and corporate leadership.

The company's board said in a statement:

"We welcome Djibril Tobe to his role and are confident that his expertise will steer Airtel Kenya to the next level as we continue delivering innovative and relevant solutions."

Malhotra leaves legacy of expansion and innovation

Under Malhotra's leadership, Airtel Kenya embarked on its largest network expansion programme, deploying more than 2,000 new network sites across the country. The operator also introduced 5G services, eSIM technology, fibre connectivity products, and its Home and Office Smart Connect broadband platform.

The company's mobile financial services business, Airtel Money, also recorded strong growth during the period, increasing its market share from 2 per cent to 11 per cent over four years. The performance reflects Airtel's strategy of expanding beyond traditional voice and data services into digital financial solutions.

Airtel Kenya strengthens position in competitive telecoms market

According to the Communications Authority of Kenya, Airtel held a 27.6 per cent share of mobile subscriptions in the quarter ending March 2026, while market leader Safaricom accounted for 68.9 per cent.

In the mobile broadband segment, Airtel controlled 31.8 per cent of subscriptions, compared with Safaricom's 64.5 per cent.

The biggest gap remains in mobile money services, where Airtel Money commands a 10.9 per cent market share, significantly behind M-PESA's 89.1 per cent. Despite the disparity, Airtel has continued to make steady gains in Kenya's highly competitive digital payments market.

With Tobe now leading the business, Airtel Kenya is expected to build on the momentum created under Malhotra by expanding its digital financial services, strengthening its broadband and home connectivity offerings, and leveraging 5G and next-generation technologies to attract new customers.

The leadership transition underscores Airtel Kenya's ambition to sustain its growth trajectory and sharpen its competitive edge in one of Africa's fastest-growing telecommunications markets.