Bangladeshi mobile operator Robi Axiata PLC reported a sharp rise in first-quarter profit, supported by higher data consumption, disciplined cost management and continued investment in network expansion despite challenging economic conditions.
The country’s second-largest telecom operator posted a profit after tax of 232.3 crore taka (£16m) in the January–March quarter, with profit margins reaching 9.2%.
Quarterly revenue rose 8.1% year-on-year to 2,531.2 crore taka, while earnings per share increased 85.2% to 0.44 taka, the company said on Wednesday.
Robi’s earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) climbed 21.6% year-on-year to 1,350.3 crore taka, pushing EBITDA margins to 53.3%, reflecting tighter cost controls and operational efficiency gains.
The telecom operator invested 349.5 crore taka in capital expenditure during the quarter as it continued to expand and strengthen its network infrastructure. Robi said it contributed 2,073.6 crore taka to the Bangladeshi government exchequer during the quarter, equivalent to 82% of total revenue.
Robi’s active subscriber base reached 57.4 million at the end of the first quarter, including 44.5 million data users and 40.3 million 4G subscribers.
Average monthly data consumption per user rose 15.4% year-on-year to 8.95 gigabytes, underlining growing demand for mobile internet services in Bangladesh’s fast-expanding digital economy.
The company said its network now includes more than 19,300 4G sites, providing nearly 99% population coverage nationwide.
On a quarterly basis, revenue dipped 2.1% from the previous quarter, which the operator attributed largely to fewer calendar days in the reporting period. However, data usage continued to rise, while EBITDA grew 4.3% quarter-on-quarter.
Ziad Shatara said the company’s performance came despite “very adverse socio-economic conditions” and geopolitical uncertainty linked to conflict in West Asia.
He said Robi’s AI-driven personalised products and continued investment in network quality were helping sustain growth, while disciplined investment and cost management supported profitability.