By Erestinah Jane, June 30, 2026
Airtel Networks Kenya Limited has appointed seasoned Senegalese telecommunications executive Djibril Tobe as its new Managing Director, effective July 1, 2026, marking a new chapter for the country’s second-largest mobile network operator.
The appointment was announced by the Airtel Kenya Board on Tuesday, June 30, following the departure of Ashish Malhotra, who exits after four years at the helm to assume the role of Chief Executive Officer of Indus Towers Africa.
Tobe joins Airtel Kenya with nearly three decades of corporate leadership experience, more than 20 of which have been spent in Africa’s telecommunications industry. His appointment comes at a time when Airtel Kenya continues to expand its network footprint and intensify competition in the country’s mobile, data and digital financial services markets.
In welcoming the new Managing Director, the Airtel Kenya Board expressed confidence in Tobe’s ability to sustain the company’s growth trajectory and build on the gains made over recent years.
Before his appointment to Kenya, Tobe served as Managing Director of Airtel Congo Brazzaville from May 2023, where he led a significant commercial turnaround that earned him the Special Award of the CEO of Airtel Africa. He also previously served as Managing Director of Airtel Chad and held the position of Commercial Director at Airtel Burkina Faso, overseeing market expansion and customer acquisition strategies.
Throughout his career, Tobe has built a reputation for driving business growth, strengthening customer experience and executing strategic transformation initiatives across multiple African markets.
He succeeds Ashish Malhotra, whose tenure is widely credited with accelerating Airtel Kenya’s market growth and network expansion.
Under Malhotra’s leadership, Airtel Kenya increased its subscriber base from approximately 16 million to more than 24 million customers, significantly strengthening its position in Kenya’s competitive telecommunications sector.
The company also invested heavily in infrastructure, deploying more than 2,000 additional network sites across the country while expanding its 4G and 5G coverage to improve connectivity and internet access.
Malhotra also oversaw the commercial growth of Airtel Money, which expanded its market share from about 2 percent to 11 percent during his tenure, reinforcing the platform’s position in Kenya’s rapidly growing mobile financial services sector.
His leadership further saw Airtel Kenya deepen investments in digital services, enterprise connectivity and customer experience while supporting the government’s digital transformation agenda.
As Tobe assumes office on July 1, industry observers will be watching closely to see how he builds on Airtel Kenya’s recent momentum, particularly in expanding 5G services, increasing financial inclusion through Airtel Money and competing for a larger share of Kenya’s telecommunications market.
The leadership transition comes as Kenya’s telecom sector continues to experience rapid technological advancement, increasing demand for high-speed internet, and intensified competition among operators seeking to grow their customer base through innovation and improved service delivery.
