Airtel Nigeria Surpasses 17,000 Cell Sites, Adds Over 1,000 in Nationwide Expansion

 Airtel Nigeria Surpasses 17,000 Cell Sites, Adds Over 1,000 in Nationwide Expansion

By Bola Ayejuni

Airtel Nigeria has surpassed 17,000 cell sites as the telecommunications operator intensifies network expansion across the country, adding more than 1,000 new sites annually to extend high-speed mobile connectivity to underserved and rural communities.

The expansion positions Airtel among the telecommunications operators making significant infrastructure investments in Nigeria’s digital economy, with its network now covering all 774 Local Government Areas in the country.

More than 99 per cent of Airtel Nigeria’s sites are 4G-enabled, while the company continues to deploy additional capacity and upgrade existing infrastructure to meet growing demand for mobile connectivity.

According to Airtel Africa’s latest annual report, the Nigerian operation added more than 1,050 new sites during the 2025–26 financial year.

The latest figures represent a substantial increase from the approximately 15,000 sites operated by Airtel two years ago. By early 2026, the company had crossed the 17,000-site mark after deploying about 2,000 sites within two years.

The ongoing expansion has also extended Airtel’s network into communities that have historically had limited access to telecommunications infrastructure.

Among the locations recently connected are Kukawa in Borno State, Okomu-Udo in Edo State, Chimbi in Niger State, Orile Ijaiye in Oyo State, Kopii in Benue State and Aran-Orin in Kwara State, among others.

Airtel has said a significant proportion of its network investment is directed towards deep rural communities, small towns and the outskirts of major cities.

Speaking at a media roundtable in February, the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Dinesh Balsingh, said Airtel would sustain the scale of its network expansion throughout 2026.

“Everyone has the right to digital connectivity, including people in deep rural markets and small communities,” Balsingh said.

The company said the expansion goes beyond improving voice and internet access, noting that wider network coverage enables families to communicate more reliably while helping businesses connect with customers and suppliers.

Improved connectivity also supports access to digital banking, education, healthcare and government services, particularly in communities where physical access to such services may be limited.

For farmers in remote areas, mobile connectivity can provide access to crop prices, weather updates, market information and agricultural advisory services. Small businesses can also leverage reliable mobile data for digital payments, customer acquisition, logistics and e-commerce.

Beyond deploying new sites, Airtel is also focusing on improving the capacity and performance of its existing infrastructure.

In 2025, the company upgraded capacity at about a quarter of its existing sites, deploying higher-capacity radios and migrating portions of its backhaul infrastructure from microwave to fibre.

The operator has also continued to strengthen its spectrum position. Since November 2025, Airtel has added 20MHz of spectrum, with full integration across its sites expected in the current quarter.

Balsingh said the company’s investment programme was focused on improving coverage, capacity and network resilience, with the ultimate objective of enhancing customers’ quality of service.

“We have invested with discipline and clarity to strengthen our network nationwide. Those investments are now translating into measurable improvements in performance, customer experience and reach, including in underserved communities,” he said.

Independent network measurements have also indicated continued improvements in Nigeria’s mobile connectivity. The Ookla Speedtest Global Index reported a median mobile download speed of 97.74 Mbps for Nigeria in June 2026.

For Airtel, the continued deployment of infrastructure is expected to improve not only geographical coverage but also the speed, capacity and stability available to existing customers.

The company’s Director of Marketing, Ismail Adeshina, said Airtel’s network investments were ultimately aimed at making connectivity more useful in the everyday lives of Nigerians as individuals, families and businesses increasingly rely on mobile services.

“With mobile connectivity increasingly serving as the platform for financial services, commerce, education, healthcare, agriculture and enterprise, expanding the physical network effectively increases the number of Nigerians able to participate in those activities,” Adeshina said.

The company said its infrastructure expansion would continue to support Nigeria’s digital economy by increasing access to mobile-enabled services and creating opportunities for more Nigerians to participate in digital commerce and other technology-driven activities.