News & views

Airtel Africa: exemplary digital-first reporting

Airtel Africa’s 2026 annual report is the FTSE 100’s only true digital-first report: all content is presented in HTML, all content is AI-friendly, all content is viewable on mobile, and all content is delivered in multiple formats – digital, PDF, print and iXBRL filing. It sets the benchmark standard for ESEF compliance.

Written by
Friend

Share
Linkedin

Airtel Africa’s 2026 annual report is the FTSE 100’s only true digital-first report: all content is presented in HTML, all content is AI-friendly, all content is viewable on mobile, and all content is delivered in multiple formats – digital, PDF, print and iXBRL filing. It sets the benchmark standard for ESEF compliance.

In a world of misinformation, claims of ‘digital-first reporting’ are bandied around a lot. But apart from Airtel Africa, these are false claims – invariably centred on digital summaries of the full report, presenting a tiny slither of content – that completely ignore AI-readability, accessibility and reporting legislation.

Airtel Africa’s report is a game-changer. Building on its award-winning 2025 report, it has been created again using Reportl, an innovative reporting software that simultaneously creates fully compliant and accessible digital, PDF and print reporting with iXBRL tagging, through instant multi-channel outputs from a single source content.

 The only choice for AI

Investors and other stakeholders’ AI searches are answered quickly, easily and accurately with content in Airtel’s HTML report. This isn’t the case with companies that just publish a PDF. These are virtually invisible to AI. And ESEF filings converted from PDFs often create poorly structured HTML that is challenging for AI to access.

 

The preferred choice for stakeholders

Airtel’s 2025 report experienced a 351% increase in active users compared to the previous year’s summary digital report, as well as prompting a 364% increase in the average user engagement time.

 

A more engaging experience

The report is fully interactive, using animation and video to bring Airtel Africa’s story to life. A Q&A with the CEO, with optional captions, is presented alongside a full transcript, and existing video clips depict the convenience and joy its mobile services bring to customers.

 

A multi-lingual experience

Airtel Africa’s business spans many countries where Swahili or French are spoken, so the report includes a drop-down menu to translate the full report into these two languages.

 

An accessible experience

Both the digital and PDF versions offer enhanced accessibility, which is a crucial goal for many companies. This is especially important now that the EU Accessibility Act has been enacted and websites are expected to meet WCAG 2.2.

 

ESEF compliant

By designing the report ‘natively’ in XHTML, Airtel Africa avoids the ‘conversion’ problems that plague ESEF reports created from InDesign PDFs. This is increasingly important as companies seek to conform with Provision 29 of the new Code, which includes the Board’s oversight of its financial reporting.

 

Auditor assured

Airtel Africa’s compliance with digital ESEF requirements has been independently assured by their auditors, demonstrating that digital-first reporting meets the challenge of independent scrutiny.

 

Efficient, digital-led process

The report is built using ‘Reportl’ – purpose-built digital design software that requires minimal change to processes for the client team. The design is fully managed by our team, and it makes remote editing and proofing simpler, faster and easier. Throughout the process, the content, design, editing and tagging is completed in a single integrated system.

 

Future proof

Digital-first reporting is the future. The FRC has given companies notice that it will be increasing its scrutiny of ESEF filings, while the Code’s Provision 29 requirement for Boards to make a declaration of the effectiveness of their internal controls including reporting, raises the stakes and the consequences for lax processes and filings.

Airtel Africa’s reporting is already future-fit. Indeed, it’s the exemplar of the FRC and FCA’s latest guidance for companies on ESEF compliance and best practice.

 

AI-friendly sustainability reporting

Airtel Africa’s Sustainability report was launched on the same day as its annual report. It too was created in Reportl, with all the same benefits: AI-friendly, more engaging, fully interactive, responsive and mobile-friendly, multi-lingual, multi-format with simultaneous publication from a single source content.

 

Written by
Friend

Share
Linkedin

More news & views Sign-up for news emails