Abu Dhabi’s telecom and technology heavyweight e& began 2026 with momentum, posting a sharp rise in first-quarter revenue as its digital bets and expanding global footprint continued to pay off.
The group reported consolidated revenue of AED 19.4 billion in the first quarter, up 15.1 percent from a year earlier, while EBITDA climbed 16.5 percent to AED 8.6 billion — a signal of operational strength even amid a shifting regional and global backdrop. Net profit reached AED 2.9 billion, marking a 3.9 percent increase excluding gains linked to the Khazna sale.
One of the quarter’s standout figures came from subscriber growth. e&’s customer base surged to 248 million, up 30.8 percent year-on-year, underscoring the scale of its expansion strategy. In the UAE, subscribers rose to 16.6 million, helped by stronger uptake of next-generation connectivity offerings and growing integration of artificial intelligence-led services into the customer experience.
The results reinforce e&’s push beyond traditional telecom, as the group deepens its presence in digital infrastructure, enterprise technology and intelligent solutions.
Chief Executive Masood M. Sharif Mahmood framed the performance as evidence of resilience as much as growth, pointing to the company’s diversified model and its ability to keep expanding despite economic uncertainty and regional pressures.
He said the group’s international reach and risk-readiness had helped preserve momentum across markets, while its domestic operations continued to play a broader strategic role — from safeguarding network continuity to supporting remote work, education and uninterrupted digital access during periods of disruption.
The first-quarter numbers also sharpen e&’s positioning as a central player in the region’s digital transformation drive. With double-digit growth in both revenue and EBITDA, the company is leaning into a narrative larger than earnings alone: one built around scale, infrastructure and the race to shape the next phase of the digital economy.
For e&, the opening quarter appears less a routine earnings beat and more a statement of intent.
