Airtel Africa and Xtelify Launch AI-Powered Solution to Streamline Telecom Operations
Airtel Africa, a leading telecommunications provider, has partnered with Xtelify, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bharti Airtel, to launch an AI-powered software platform across its 14 African markets. Announced on August 4, 2025, this multi-year, multi-million-dollar deal introduces the Xtelify Data Engine, Xtelify Work, and Xtelify IQ platforms, designed to revolutionize telecom operations, enhance customer experiences, and empower over 150,000 field agents with real-time insights.
Transforming Telecom with AI
The Xtelify platforms address the telecom industry’s toughest challenges, from operational complexity to customer engagement. The Xtelify Data Engine delivers AI-driven insights at scale, enabling micro-targeted strategies and critical functions like spam detection and fraud prevention. Xtelify Work streamlines field operations with tools for real-time task management, fleet optimization, and governance, equipping Airtel Africa’s field teams across countries like Nigeria, Kenya, and Uganda with actionable market data. Xtelify IQ enhances customer engagement through secure, omnichannel interactions, aiming to boost service quality and reduce churn.
“This partnership marks a transformative leap in our mission to build Africa’s digital future,” said Jacques Barkhuizen, Group Chief Information Officer at Airtel Africa. “By harnessing Airtel’s AI platforms, proven at scale in India, we’re simplifying operations and delivering hyper-personalized experiences for our customers.”
A Strategic Synergy
The collaboration leverages Xtelify’s expertise, initially developed for Bharti Airtel’s operations in India, where it powers 590 million customer touchpoints. The platforms are part of a broader rollout that includes Airtel Cloud, a sovereign, telco-grade cloud platform capable of handling 1.4 billion transactions per minute. Hosted on sustainable data centers and managed by 300 certified cloud experts, Airtel Cloud ensures secure, cost-efficient operations with up to 40% savings on cloud spends.
Binod Srivastava, Chief Business Officer at Bharti Airtel Global Business, emphasized the partnership’s impact: “By combining our innovative Xtelify platform with Airtel Africa’s vision, we’re addressing industry challenges like spam and fraud while driving digital transformation across Africa.”
Global Ambitions and Industry Trends
Xtelify’s launch extends beyond Africa, with partnerships signed with Singtel in Singapore and Globe Telecom in the Philippines. Singtel will deploy Xtelify Work for AI-powered field operations, while Globe Telecom adopts Xtelify Serve to enhance customer service through omnichannel assurance. These collaborations reflect a global push to modernize telecoms, with Airtel’s solutions competing with initiatives like MTN Group’s AI deployments for network optimization and energy management in Africa.
Gopal Vittal, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Bharti Airtel, highlighted the milestone: “This is a pivotal moment as we take our world-class, homegrown platforms to telcos globally. Our partnerships with Singtel, Globe Telecom, and Airtel Africa show the strength of our innovation.”
Impact and Future Outlook
The Xtelify platforms are expected to boost Airtel Africa’s average revenue per user (ARPU) by improving customer retention and operational efficiency. With Africa’s telecom market projected to grow rapidly, driven by increasing mobile penetration, this initiative positions Airtel Africa to lead the continent’s digital transformation. The focus on fraud prevention and data protection also aligns with rising cybersecurity demands, ensuring customer trust in an era of growing digital threats.
As Airtel Africa rolls out these AI-driven solutions, the partnership with Xtelify sets a new standard for telecom innovation, promising smarter operations and richer customer experiences across the continent.
