Airtel Africa has appointed Goriola Bakare as Home Broadband Experience Lead for the continent, effective October 1, 2026, after he led Airtel Nigeria’s home broadband business and completed a six-month secondment to Bharti Airtel in India.
The appointment comes as Airtel Africa expands its broadband business beyond traditional mobile data services to capture rising demand for home connectivity.
According to Airtel Africa’s 2026 annual report, the company ended its 2025/26 financial year with 903,000 home broadband customers, an 86% increase from the previous year. Home broadband revenue grew by 119% in constant currency, while average monthly usage reached 195GB per customer.
“In his new role, Bakare will help shape Airtel Africa’s Group Home Broadband experience agenda, working with operating companies to strengthen customer acquisition,” the telco said. The aim is to “improve digital engagement, support customer retention and develop scalable commercial models for broadband growth.”
The figures point to a fast-growing business that is becoming more important to Airtel Africa’s growth strategy. The group is investing in fibre and 5G infrastructure, expanding sales channels and digitising customer onboarding and service delivery to attract and retain subscribers.
Nigeria is part of that expansion. In its Nigeria mobile services report, Airtel Africa said its home broadband business continued to record strong growth during the 2025/26 financial year. The company also reported that smartphone penetration in Nigeria rose to 54.9%, from 49.6% in the previous year.
“The appointment represents a further step in Bakare’s career at Airtel,” said the telecom. “Where he has held senior responsibilities spanning commercial strategy, product development, digital innovation and business performance.”
Bakare’s appointment places him in a position to help translate that growth into a more consistent customer experience across the group’s markets. His responsibilities include identifying commercial practices that can be adapted across operating companies, improving digital customer journeys and supporting a scalable home broadband operating framework.
Before his new role, Bakare served as Acting Director of Home Broadband Business at Airtel Nigeria from October 2024 to March 2026. He oversaw revenue growth, product strategy, customer acquisition and retention, customer lifecycle management and strategic partnerships.
From April to September 2026, he was seconded to Bharti Airtel in India through the company’s Talent Exchange Programme. He worked with senior leaders and cross-functional teams to study the Indian business’s broadband strategies, operating models and customer experience practices, with a view to applying relevant lessons across Airtel Africa’s markets.
Bakare joined Airtel in 2009 after working in financial services, including roles at Skye Bank and Pacific Holdings. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Banking and Finance and an MBA in Strategic Management from Babcock University, Nigeria, and is an alumnus of Airtel Africa’s inaugural India-Africa Global Accelerator Programme.
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