Africa’s second-largest telecommunications operator, Airtel Africa, has expanded its telecommunications infrastructure in Nigeria with the addition of more than 1,500 base stations over the past year, strengthening broadband capacity and extending connectivity to underserved communities.
The network expansion forms part of the company’s broader investment strategy aimed at improving service quality, supporting rising internet adoption and reinforcing Nigeria’s growing digital economy. Airtel said the move reflects its long-term commitment to expanding reliable connectivity as demand for data services continues to surge across the country.
Over the past three years, Airtel Nigeria has increased its national site count from just above 13,000 to nearly 17,200, marking one of the fastest infrastructure scaling phases in the operator’s recent history. The latest deployments have strengthened capacity in high-demand urban corridors while extending high-speed coverage to rural and previously underserved areas.
Industry data from the Nigerian Communications Commission highlights the significance of Airtel’s infrastructure growth within the broader telecommunications sector. As of December 2025, Nigeria recorded 145,141 base stations across 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G networks nationwide. Airtel accounts for 46,918 base-station layers, underscoring its significant contribution to the country’s radio access network as mobile data consumption accelerates.
Nearly 99 percent of Airtel Nigeria’s sites are now 4G-enabled, positioning the operator among providers with near-ubiquitous high-speed broadband coverage. Thousands of sites have also undergone capacity upgrades within the past year, improving speeds and enhancing network stability during peak usage periods.
The infrastructure expansion coincides with rising internet adoption across the country. According to the latest regulatory figures, Nigeria’s internet penetration has climbed above 50 percent, with Airtel recording one of the largest monthly increases in new internet subscribers following network upgrades across several states and rural corridors.
Beyond terrestrial network expansion, the company is also strengthening international connectivity resilience to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on limited internet gateway routes.
Airtel is advancing plans to establish a second submarine cable internet breakout point at Kwa Ibo in Akwa Ibom State as part of the rollout of the 2Africa Submarine Cable System. The additional landing point is expected to improve redundancy, boost internet speeds and enhance national network reliability for businesses and consumers.
Across the country, Airtel operates approximately 4,000 exclusive retail outlets that provide customer support, device access and digital services in urban centres, small towns and community markets. The extensive distribution network continues to play a key role in improving service accessibility and strengthening customer engagement nationwide.
