Airtel Kenya buys 100 MHz of 5G spectrum for $65 million on a 25-year term

The price works out at about KES8.4 billion. The Communications Authority of Kenya approved the acquisition subject to standard conditions, Airtel Africa said. The 3500 MHz band, known as C-band, is one of the principal bands for commercial 5G, according to the GSMA.

The 25-year term gives Airtel a long-term foundation for expanding its mobile network and serving customers who need higher data speeds and greater capacity. The company will use the additional frequencies to support data-intensive applications and mobile broadband on its 5G infrastructure.

The purchase follows Airtel's acquisition of a separate 25-year operating licence in August 2026 for an undisclosed fee. Managing Director Djibril Tobe announced the renewal, ending a dispute over the company's permits. Airtel's original licence expired in 2015, after which it relied on permits inherited from YuMobile, which it acquired in 2014. A 2022 out-of-court settlement with the regulator paved the way for renewal, followed by a temporary two-year authorisation running to January 2027.

The two 25-year authorisations do different jobs. The spectrum allocation covers the 3500 MHz rights, while the operating licence provides the broader regulatory authorisation for the business.

Why capacity matters

The extra capacity matters because Kenyan 5G users are heavy data consumers. Average monthly use on a 5G subscription reached 64.4GB in the quarter ended June, against 15.8GB on 4G and 8.3GB on 3G, according to Communications Authority statistics reported by TechTrendsKE.

Kenya had 2.1 million 5G subscriptions in June 2026, up from 1.2 million a year earlier, a 75% increase, the CA figures show. The growth reflects network expansion and more customers buying compatible devices.

Safaricom remains the larger operator. It held 64.4% of mobile broadband subscriptions and 69.8% of all mobile subscriptions as of June 2026. Safaricom began 5G testing in March 2021 in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu before launching commercially in October 2022. Airtel followed in 2023. By March 2024, Safaricom had 803 5G sites against Airtel's 690.

Airtel Africa said the additional spectrum gives it capacity to expand 5G and serve customers who need higher data speeds. Airtel is also pursuing fixed wireless access over 5G, Africa Business Communities reported.

Payment terms and pricing dispute

How the bill is paid is not disclosed. Kenyan law allows spectrum fees above KES1 billion, about $7.7 million, to be paid in instalments over up to 10 years, with CA consent. The option was added in 2018. Applicants must be Kenyan or at least 51% Kenyan-owned. They must also commit to build at least 500 base stations within three years, according to a Bowmans law firm briefing cited by the Rio Times.

Public information does not show which operators have used the instalment option, and it is not public whether Airtel used it for the $65 million fee. Airtel's fee sits well above the KES1 billion threshold that triggers the option.

The purchase also lands amid a dispute over spectrum pricing. Jamii Telecommunications has challenged the CA's 2025 spectrum pricing framework in the High Court, and Safaricom has joined the case. The revised fees were suspended in April 2025.