Pecohub Airtel Nigeria has added more than 1,000 fifth-generation (5G) network sites in 2026, taking its total network infrastructure to more than 17,000 sites nationwide, as the telecommunications operator steps up investment in connectivity and introduces a digital platform to improve transparency and customer experience.
The expansion, disclosed by the Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Dinesh Balsingh, at the launch of Airtel Open Network in Lagos, comes amid growing demand for faster internet services, increased data consumption and rising expectations for improved telecommunications service quality.
The new Open Network feature, introduced on the My Airtel Africa application, allows subscribers to view network infrastructure around their locations and report connectivity challenges directly to the company.
Balsingh said the latest infrastructure deployment formed part of Airtel’s broader investment programme to expand coverage and improve network capacity across Nigeria.
“During the last financial year, Airtel Nigeria added more than 1,050 new sites and has surpassed 17,000 sites nationwide. This year, 2026 alone, Airtel has added more than 1,000 5G sites to date, expanding access to high-speed connectivity across the country,” he said.
The launch was attended by the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Aminu Maida, alongside industry stakeholders, media representatives and corporate executives.
Airtel said Nigeria had become the first of its 14 operating markets in Africa to introduce the level of consumer-facing network transparency offered by the Open Network initiative.
The feature provides subscribers with visual information showing 4G and 5G sites, locations where infrastructure is being upgraded and planned sites within a 500-metre radius of their location.
Customers can also use the application to submit feedback on network performance, providing Airtel’s technical teams with information to investigate connectivity problems and identify areas requiring improvements.
Balsingh said the initiative was designed to strengthen customer confidence by making network information more accessible and giving subscribers a direct channel to communicate their experiences.
“Trust grows when customers can see what is happening and know that their concerns are being heard. With Open Network, we are giving customers greater visibility into our network and a more direct way to tell us where their experience falls short,” he said.
He explained that conventional complaint channels, including call centres and physical customer service outlets, sometimes failed to provide sufficiently precise information about the location and nature of network challenges.
The digital platform, he said, would complement existing customer service channels by helping engineers obtain more specific feedback and direct attention to problem areas.
However, Balsingh cautioned that the platform would not automatically repair network faults or eliminate service disruptions, stressing that sustained infrastructure investment remained necessary to improve service quality.
He also noted that network performance could vary depending on indoor coverage, building structures, handset specifications and localised congestion.
In his remarks, Maida commended the initiative, describing it as a development that could complement the NCC’s efforts to improve transparency and consumer confidence in the telecommunications industry.
He said the commission’s assessment of service quality would continue to be based on evidence and applicable industry standards, adding that operators must strive to improve beyond minimum regulatory requirements.
Beyond network infrastructure, Airtel is expanding its customer service channels to improve accessibility. The company operates more than 225 premium experience stores and plans to increase the number to 500. It also has over 9,000 exclusive shops and more than 73,000 retail agents nationwide.
The latest initiative builds on Airtel’s introduction of an artificial intelligence-powered spam alert service in March 2025. According to Balsingh, the service flagged more than 9.6 million suspected spam messages within its first two months.
Airtel said it would begin a nationwide awareness campaign to educate subscribers on using the Open Network feature through digital platforms, retail outlets and traditional media.
