NAIROBI, Kenya- Airtel Africa is winding up its Kenyan wholesale fibre and internet subsidiary after the business failed to generate revenue and accumulated losses during its two years of operation.
Financial statements for the year ending December 31, 2025, show that Airtel Kenya Telesonic Limited recorded a net loss of Sh16.1 million, more than five times the Sh2.9 million loss posted in 2024.
The subsidiary’s accumulated losses rose to Sh19.08 million, while its assets stood at Sh284,275. Its directors consequently concluded that the company could no longer continue operating as a going concern.
Airtel Kenya Telesonic reported no revenue in 2024 and 2025, according to the financial statements cited by Techweez.
The accounts were prepared on a liquidation basis following the decision to wind down the company. Under this approach, its assets were valued at historical cost or fair value, whichever was lower.
Airtel Kenya Telesonic began the process of surrendering its Network Facilities Provider Tier 2 licence, numbered TL/NFP/T2/01269, to the Communications Authority of Kenya in 2025.
The authority directed the company on January 21, 2026, to return the original licence booklet by January 30 for cancellation.
The booklet was submitted on February 6, the same day the company’s board passed a resolution approving the surrender.
The company is now awaiting the gazettement of the licence surrender and completion of the remaining termination procedures.
The subsidiary’s network facilities licence had a gross value of Sh15 million but was fully amortised by the end of 2025. The accounts included a Sh14 million amortisation charge for that year.
The company also owed Airtel Networks Kenya Limited Sh18.5 million and had total liabilities of Sh19.26 million, leaving it with negative equity of nearly Sh19 million.
Deloitte & Touche audited the accounts and issued an unqualified opinion, saying the financial statements presented a true and fair view of the company’s position.
The auditor, however, drew attention to the fact that the accounts were not prepared on a going-concern basis because of the licence surrender and planned closure.
Airtel Kenya Telesonic was wholly owned by Airtel Telesonic Kenya Holdings (UK) Limited. Its directors, Sanjeet Kumar Pokala and Airtel Kenya Chief Executive Officer Ashish Malhotra, approved the final accounts on March 31, 2026.
Telesonic was launched in 2024 as Airtel Africa’s wholesale fibre business, targeting governments, large companies, telecommunications operators and cloud service providers.
Airtel Africa describes Telesonic as a wholesale operation that uses terrestrial fibre assets and submarine cable systems to meet Africa’s growing demand for data.
The shutdown concerns the Kenyan wholesale Telesonic subsidiary.
It does not amount to the closure of Airtel Kenya’s mobile network or its other consumer and enterprise services.
