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Helios Towers, the African and Middle Eastern telecom infrastructure group backed by Nigerian private-equity executive Temitope Lawani, approved a share buyback of up to $75 million to be completed by the end of 2026.
It will repurchase shares with a nominal value of £0.01 each and retire them. The board said the return of capital reflects confidence in the company’s cash generation and balance sheet and its ability to keep improving profitability in its main African and Middle East markets.
First tranche starts in November 2025
The program began with an initial $25 million tranche on Nov. 6, 2025. That portion will be carried out under a non-discretionary agreement with Jefferies International. Jefferies will execute trades based on instructions already set by the board and will make daily decisions independently.
Helios Towers said it expects to sign further non-discretionary contracts with other brokers for the rest of the buyback. All repurchased shares will be cancelled. The approval for the buyback was granted by shareholders at the May 15 annual meeting. The maximum possible repurchase under that mandate is 105,270,000 ordinary shares.
The company said the timing and scale of daily purchases will depend on market conditions, liquidity and valuation. It will carry out the program in line with U.K. law, the Financial Conduct Authority’s rules and the U.K. version of the Market Abuse Regulation. The company added that it may occasionally buy shares through block transactions.
Helios Towers said it will disclose every repurchase no later than 7:30 a.m. on the business day after the trade. It expects the entire program to be completed before the end of 2026, but said there is no guarantee it will use the entire $75 million authority.
A business built out of private equity capital
Helios Investment Partners, an Africa-focused private equity firm founded by Lawani and Babatunde Soyoye, formed Helios Towers in 2009. The firm provided early capital that allowed the company to secure tower sites across the continent. Helios Investment Partners was the lead owner until Helios Towers listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2019.
Helios Towers now operates in 11 markets. It builds, owns and leases towers to mobile operators. The group has acquired tower portfolios in Congo Brazzaville, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana and Tanzania through sale-and-leaseback transactions. It made its first investment in South Africa in 2019.
Revenue growth continues
Helios Towers reported revenue of $634.5 million for the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2025, up 9 percent from a year earlier. The company said tenant additions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania and Oman helped drive growth.
The buyback is likely to be watched closely by long-term shareholders who have been waiting for clearer signals on capital returns from the company as its asset base matures and its cash flows improve.
