Airtel Nigeria has deployed more than 1,000 additional 5G sites in 2026, taking its latest network expansion to thousands of locations as the telecommunications company steps up efforts to improve connectivity and meet growing demand for mobile data.
Chief Executive Officer Dinesh Balsingh disclosed the figures at the launch of Airtel Open Network, a new feature on the My Airtel Africa app designed to help subscribers monitor network performance and report connectivity problems.
The latest deployment follows the addition of more than 1,050 network sites in the previous financial year, bringing Airtel Nigeria’s total infrastructure footprint to more than 17,000 sites nationwide, according to the company.
Brandspur Banking News Desk reports that the expansion comes as mobile network users increasingly depend on reliable internet access for financial transactions, remote work, education and business operations.
Beyond increasing network capacity, Airtel is introducing a digital feedback system intended to give its technical teams more precise information about service disruptions.
Through the Open Network feature, subscribers can access information about their network experience and submit complaints about connectivity challenges. The feedback is expected to help engineers identify affected locations and investigate reported problems.
Balsingh explained that existing complaint channels, including call centres and physical customer service outlets, did not always provide the level of detail required to identify specific network problems.
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However, the new platform is not designed to repair faults automatically or guarantee uninterrupted service. Rather, it provides another channel through which customers can communicate network challenges to the operator.
Airtel is also expanding its physical customer support infrastructure. The company currently operates more than 225 premium experience stores and plans to increase the number to 500. Its distribution network includes over 9,000 exclusive shops across local government areas and more than 73,000 retail agents.
The latest initiative builds on Airtel’s introduction of an artificial intelligence-powered spam alert service in March 2025. According to Balsingh, the service identified more than 9.6 million suspected spam messages within its first two months.
The combination of infrastructure investment and digital customer feedback forms part of Airtel’s efforts to improve the quality of its services as demand for faster and more dependable mobile connectivity continues to grow across Nigeria.
