Business
Dialog, SLT-Mobitel, Airtel and Hutchison band together to spark Sri Lanka’s digital economy
Sri Lanka’s mobile operator community has announced the commercial launch of new industry-wide network APIs, as part of the GSMA Open Gateway initiative. In doing so, they will help developers and businesses accelerate the growth of digital services and apps, by ensuring they work seamlessly with all the country’s mobile networks and hundreds of others around the world.
All four of the countries mobile operators – Bharti Airtel Lanka (Private) Limited, Dialog Axiata PLC, Hutchison Telecommunications Lanka Ltd, and SLT-Mobitel have prioritized and launched three value creating APIs: One Time Password (OTP) Validation, Device Location and Carrier Billing, giving developers and enterprises a standard way to technically and commercially reach over 21 million Sri Lankans regardless of their network operator.
As part of the GSMA Open Gateway initiative, these APIs will be locally and globally federated, meaning developers can reach new subscribers outside of Sri Lanka as Open Gateway coverage grows. The initial set of APIs are set to revolutionize the digital adoption by Sri Lankan enterprises and developers by providing a single integration that works across all four operators in the country.
GSMA Open Gateway empowers developers worldwide to create innovative services by accessing network resources. Developed in collaboration with mobile operators worldwide, the framework ensures consistent, interoperable access to mobile networks through the standards-based CAMARA repository, a Linux Foundation project. The initiative fosters collaborations among operators, industry associations, developers, and content creators while adhering to all relevant technical standards, regulations and user privacy standards. More than 36 mobile operator groups, representing 214 mobile networks and 60% of mobile connections worldwide, are now part of the initiative.
Mats Granryd, Director General of the GSMA, said: “Sri Lanka’s launch of commercial network APIs marks a great moment for the global GSMA Open Gateway initiative, and we welcome the progress and collaboration the country’s four operators have demonstrated. Asia-Pacific represents the largest mobile market in the world and this announcement shows how, together, the industry can create, enhance and bring new digital services and immersive technologies to market faster and to a wider global customer base.”
Commenting on the initiative MD/CEO of Airtel, Ashish Chandra said, “The dedication of Airtel Lanka in joining the GSMA Open Gateway initiative is commendable, and it’s great to see the industry moving in unison. While competition refines us, it’s shared visions like this that will shape the digital destiny of Sri Lanka”.
Commenting, Supun Weerasinghe, Group Chief Executive of Dialog Axiata PLC said, “Building on Axiata Group Berhad’s successful deployment of the GSMA Open Gateway in March 2023, Dialog Axiata is proud to be a participant in the GSMA Open Gateway initiative through our Ideamart platform capability, alongside all the other operators in Sri Lanka. This signifies a momentous leap for the industry, ushering in a new era of unparalleled digital innovation and connectivity for the nation”.
Commenting on the initiative Saumitra Gupta – CEO (Actg) of HUTCH stated “We are excited to be part of this GSMA global initiative of Open Gateway. We foresee this will indeed open up a new ecosystem for much broader opportunities and collaborations between network operators, developers and enterprises, and at far greater scale accelerate digital service innovations and experiences in the respective markets.”
Commenting on the occasion, Sudharshana Geeganage, Chief Operating Officer of Mobitel (Pvt) Ltd. said, “At SLT-Mobitel, we are delighted to be part of the GSMA Open Gateway global initiative. We believe this a significant step in promoting open standards and enabling the operators to interconnect and collaborate in the API economy. This will further strengthen the developer community, which is an integral part of the API economy, by facilitating various trusted network services and thereby unlocking opportunities in the global app markets propelling digital economy forward.”
Business
Dialog delivers strong growth, stronger national contribution in FY 2025
Dialog Axiata PLC announced, Friday 6th February 2026, its consolidated financial results (Reviewed) for the year ended 31st December 2025. Financial results included those of Dialog Axiata PLC (the “Company”) and of the Dialog Axiata Group (the “Group”).
Group Performance
The Group delivered a strong performance across Mobile, Fixed Line and Digital Pay Television businesses recording a positive Core Revenue growth of 16% Year to Date (“YTD”). Group Headline Revenue reached Rs179.6Bn, up 5% YTD, despite the continued strategic scaling down of low-margin international wholesale business. In Q4 2025, Revenue was recorded at Rs46.5Bn up 2% Quarter-on-Quarter (“QoQ”) and 2% Year-on-Year (“YoY”).
The Group Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation (“EBITDA”) reached Rs86.0Bn up 30% YTD supported by Core Revenue performance and Cost Rescaling Initiatives. On a QoQ basis Group EBITDA demonstrated a modest growth to record at Rs23.0Bn up 2% QoQ with an EBITDA margin of 49.5% in line with the Revenue performance. Group EBITDA margin reached 47.9% for FY 2025, up 9.2pp.
Group Net Profit After Tax (“NPAT”) reached Rs20.8Bn for FY 2025, up 67% YTD mainly resulting from robust EBITDA growth, despite higher tax and net finance costs. Normalized for forex impact, NPAT growth was recorded at +>100% YTD to reach Rs22.1Bn. On a QoQ basis NPAT grew 3% to reach Rs5.9Bn resulting from strong EBITDA performance.
On the back of strong operational performance, the Group recorded Operating Free Cash Flow (“OFCF”)
of Rs49.3Bn for FY 2025 up >100% YTD.
Dividend Payment to Shareholders
In line with the dividend policy and financial performance of the Group and taking into account the forward investment requirements to serve the nation’s demand for Broadband and Digital services, the Board of Directors of Dialog Axiata PLC at its meeting held on 6th February 2026, resolved to propose for consideration by the Shareholders of the Company, a dividend to ordinary shareholders amounting to Rs1.50 per share. The said dividend, if approved by shareholders, would translate to a Dividend Yield of 5.0% based on share closing price for FY 2025. The dividend so proposed will be considered for approval by the shareholders at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Company, the date pertaining to which would be notified in due course.
Company and Subsidiary Performance
At an entity level, Dialog Axiata PLC (the “Company”) continued to be the primary contributor to Group Revenue (76%) and Group EBITDA (74%). Aided by sustained growth in the Data segment and cost-rescaling initiatives, Company revenue was recorded at Rs135.8Bn for FY 2025, up 18% YTD, EBITDA rose 32% YTD to reach Rs63.6Bn. On a QoQ basis, Q4 2025 Revenue was recorded at Rs34.8Bn, down 1% QoQ due to a reclassification of Hubbing Revenue, while EBITDA decline 1% QoQ to record Rs17.0Bn, largely attributable to network restoration costs and donations made in relation to the Cyclone Ditwah relief efforts. Furthermore, NPAT was recorded at Rs15.6Bn for FY 2025, up 41% YTD. Normalised for forex impacts, the company NPAT was up +>100% YTD to reach Rs17.0Bn. On a QoQ basis, Company NPAT was recorded at Rs4.5Bn, down 6% QoQ.
Business
Ceylinco Life’s Pranama Scholarships reach 25-year milestone
Ceylinco Life has announced the launch of the 25th consecutive edition of its flagship Pranama Scholarships programme, marking a significant milestone in the company’s long-standing commitment to recognising and rewarding excellence among the children of its policyholders.
Under the 2026 programme, the life insurance market leader will present scholarships with a total cumulative value of Rs. 22.7 million, continuing a rewards initiative that has now been conducted without interruption for a quarter of a century. Since its inception, the Ceylinco Life Pranama Scholarships programme has benefitted 3,466 students across the country, representing a total investment of Rs. 240 million in nurturing academic achievement and outstanding performance in sports, arts and other extracurricular pursuits.
Business
Sri Lankans’ artistic genius glowingly manifests at Kala Pola ‘26
The artistic genius of Sri Lankans was amply manifest all over again at ‘Kala Pola ‘26’ which was held on February 8th at Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha Colombo 7; the usual, teeming and colourful venue for this annual grand exhibition and celebration of the work of local visual artists.
If there is one thing that has flourished memorably and resplendently in Sri Lanka over the centuries it is the artistic capability or genius of its people. It is something that all Sri Lankans could feel a sense of elation over because from the viewpoint of the arts, Sri Lanka is second to no other nation. With regard to the visual arts a veritable dazzling radiance of this inborn and persisting capability is seen at the annual open air ‘Kala Pola’.

A bird of Sri Lanka created from scraps of iron waste.
All capable visual artists, wherever they hail from in Sri Lanka, enjoy the opportunity of exhibiting their work at the ‘Kala Pola’ and this is a distinctive ‘positive’ of this annual event that draws numberless artists and viewers. There was an abundance of paintings, sketches and sculptures, for instance, and one work was as good as the other. Ample and equal space was afforded each artist. Its widely participatory and open nature enables one to describe the exhibition as exuding a profoundly democratic ethos.
Accordingly, this time around at ‘Kala Pola ‘26’ too Sri Lankans’ creative efforts were there to be viewed, studied and enjoyed in the customary carnival atmosphere where connoisseurs, local and foreign, met in a sprit of camaraderie and good cheer. Many thanks are owed once again to the George Keyt Foundation for the presentation of the event in association with the John Keells Group and the John Keells Foundation, not forgetting the Nations Trust Bank, which was the event’s Official Banking Partner. The exhibition was officially declared open by Chief Guest Marc-Andre Franche, UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka.
By Lynn Ockersz
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