Airtel Targets Massive Network, Retail Expansion in 2026

Raheem Akingbolu

Airtel Nigeria has identified 2026 as a pivotal year for network and digital infrastructure expansion, as the telecoms operator scales investments to deepen coverage, boost capacity and strengthen network resilience across the country.

The Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Dinesh Balsingh, disclosed this on Thursday during an Airtel media roundtable held in Lagos, where he outlined the company’s multi-year strategy covering network rollout, retail expansion, fibre infrastructure and emerging technologies.

Balsingh revealed that Airtel expanded its network footprint by about 15 per cent between December 2023 and early 2025, growing its number of sites from approximately 15,000 to 17,000, with a similar scale of expansion planned for 2026.

“Over the last two years, we have expanded our geographical network by close to 15 per cent, and we intend to repeat that scale of expansion again in 2026,” he said.

He explained that the investments are deliberately focused on deep rural communities, small towns and the fringes of major cities, noting that the expansion is designed to improve coverage, increase capacity and enhance network resilience nationwide.

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

To bridge connectivity gaps in hard-to-reach areas, the Airtel CEO disclosed that the company has deployed satellite technology in locations where terrestrial fibre deployment is impractical. He cited communities in Adamawa State and other parts of northern Nigeria that are now connected through Starlink-powered satellite links.

“These are very remote villages where terrestrial fibre was practically impossible, but satellite connectivity is performing very well,” he said.

On network quality, Balsingh said Airtel upgraded capacity on about 25 per cent of its existing sites in 2025 by deploying higher-capacity radios and migrating backhaul from microwave to fibre. He added that 99.99 per cent of Airtel’s sites are now 4G-enabled, including those in remote areas, while spectrum capacity on the 4G network has been increased by about 20 per cent to support rising data demand.

“4G remains the backbone of mobile data usage, and expanding spectrum is like widening the highway for traffic,” he explained.

On 5G deployment, Balsingh disclosed that Airtel has more than doubled its 5G sites in the last three months and plans to migrate about 25 per cent of its network across the top 20 cities to 5G over time.

Beyond network infrastructure, Airtel is also expanding its fibre backbone by about 25 per cent, with nearly half of the rollout already completed. The company is additionally planning a second internet breakout point from southern Nigeria to strengthen national network redundancy and resilience.

“These investments are about building scale, capacity and resilience for the long-term future of Nigeria,” Balsingh said.

He further disclosed that Airtel is strengthening its artificial intelligence and data centre capabilities, including the development of a hyperscaler-ready facility expected to support advanced analytics, network automation and enhanced consumer protection services.

As part of its customer-centric strategy, Balsingh revealed that Airtel is also expanding its retail outlet footprint to bring services closer to Nigerians. He said the company currently operates over 200 Airtel retail outlets across major cities such as Lagos, Abuja and Ibadan, as well as parts of eastern Nigeria, with plans to expand into more locations.

“Our focus is not just network availability but also physical presence,” he said. “We are deliberately expanding our retail outlets so Airtel can be closer to people, making it easier for customers to walk into an Airtel shop and get support.”

He noted that the retail expansion supports Airtel’s broader digital inclusion agenda, ensuring easier access to customer service, SIM-related solutions and digital products across urban and semi-urban communities.

Balsingh acknowledged ongoing challenges such as fibre cuts and infrastructure damage, but commended the government and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for steps taken to protect telecom assets under the Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) framework.

“We are very happy with what the government and the regulator are doing around CNII, especially the focus on reducing fibre cuts, which affect all operators and consumers,” he said.

Despite the challenges, Balsingh reaffirmed Airtel’s commitment to sustained investment, describing 2026 as another massive year for network and digital infrastructure development in Nigeria.

The media roundtable was attended by other members of Airtel Nigeria’s top management, who provided additional insights into the company’s network rollout, customer experience initiatives and long-term growth strategy.