Airtel Africa has strengthened its network footprint in Nigeria with the deployment of more than 1,500 additional base stations over the past year, aimed at boosting broadband capacity and extending connectivity to underserved areas.
The expansion forms part of the company’s wider investment strategy to enhance network quality, support rising demand for data services, and contribute to the growth of Nigeria’s digital economy.
Over a three-year period, Airtel Nigeria has increased its total number of sites from just over 13,000 to nearly 17,200, marking one of the fastest infrastructure scale-ups in its recent history.
Recent deployments have focused on increasing capacity in high-demand urban centres while also extending high-speed connectivity to rural and previously underserved communities.
According to industry data from the Nigerian Communications Commission, the country had over 145,000 base stations across 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G networks as of late 2025, with Airtel accounting for a significant share of this infrastructure.
The company’s growing footprint highlights its strong contribution to Nigeria’s radio access network as mobile data usage continues to surge.
Nearly all of Airtel Nigeria’s sites are now 4G-enabled, positioning the operator among providers with near-universal high-speed broadband coverage. In addition, thousands of sites have undergone upgrades to improve speed, capacity, and network stability, particularly during peak usage periods.
This expansion aligns with rising internet adoption across the country, with penetration now exceeding 50 percent. Airtel has recorded one of the largest increases in new internet subscribers, supported by ongoing network upgrades across multiple regions.
Beyond terrestrial expansion, the company is also investing in international connectivity resilience. It is advancing plans for a second submarine cable landing point at Kwa Ibo in Akwa Ibom State as part of the 2Africa cable system rollout.
The additional infrastructure is expected to enhance redundancy, improve data speeds, and strengthen overall network reliability for both businesses and consumers.
Airtel also maintains a wide retail presence, operating about 4,000 outlets nationwide, providing access to services, devices, and customer support across urban and rural locations.
This extensive distribution network continues to play a key role in improving service accessibility and deepening customer engagement.
