Manny Ita –
Airtel Nigeria has confirmed a massive acceleration of its network infrastructure rollout, announcing the addition of over 2,200 new sites and a 25 percent expansion of its fiber backbone to accommodate the country’s surging appetite for high-speed data. Speaking at a media roundtable in Lagos, the Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Dinesh Balsingh, disclosed that the company has increased its total site count from approximately 15,000 to over 17,200 within the last 14 months, marking a significant 15.5 percent growth in its geographical footprint. This expansion is part of a broader “high-powered investment” strategy for 2026, aimed at strengthening network resilience and ensuring that “connectivity becomes an everyday reality for more Nigerians.”
The telecommunications giant is placing a strategic emphasis on both urban density and rural inclusion. Balsingh noted that while the company is doubling its 5G sites—with plans to migrate 25 percent of its network in Nigeria’s top 20 cities to 5G by the end of the year—it is equally focused on “deep rural markets and small communities” that have historically been underserved. “Everyone has the right to digital connectivity,” the CEO stated, adding that in areas where terrestrial fiber deployment remains impractical, the company is deploying satellite-to-mobile technology to bridge the gap. To further secure its data services, Airtel is also in the process of activating a second international internet breakout point through the 2Africa submarine cable, a move designed to reduce the nation’s total reliance on Lagos as the primary data exit point and provide a critical safety net against fiber cuts.
Beyond terrestrial towers, the 25 percent expansion of the fiber backbone is intended to act as the “highway” for the country’s burgeoning digital economy. Balsingh emphasized that “4G remains the backbone of mobile data usage, and expanding spectrum is like widening the highway for traffic.” The investment also includes the development of the Nxtra Data Centre in Lagos, which is projected to be the largest in Nigeria upon its completion later this year. According to the company, these moves are essential to support the next wave of innovation in AI, cloud computing, and IoT. “2026 will be a year of high-powered investment and innovation,” Balsingh concluded. “We are building the foundations today to ensure Nigerians have access to world-class digital services tomorrow.”
