Airtel Nigeria says it added over 1,000 5G sites in 2026. Its Open Network tool lets subscribers report service issues, but does not fix them automatically.
Airtel Nigeria says it added more than 1,000 5G network sites across the country in 2026. Chief Executive Dinesh Balsingh announced the figure on October 30, at the launch of Airtel Open Network. The new feature lets subscribers view network information and report service problems through the My Airtel app. The announcement comes with a caveat: more sites do not automatically guarantee reliable service.
Airtel Nigeria’s 5G rollout in 2026
Balsingh said Airtel had added over 1,000 5G sites so far in 2026. The figure counts network sites, not communities newly reached or subscribers who gained service. Balsingh’s reported remarks did not include a state-by-state breakdown. Without one, the national total does not reveal which communities gained access or how local service may change.
The CEO made the disclosure during the launch of Airtel Open Network. The platform is part of Airtel’s My Airtel application and gives subscribers information about network infrastructure. The company says the aim is to improve transparency and help its teams understand customer complaints.
Airtel said it added more than 1,050 general network sites in the previous financial year. That brought its total above 17,000 nationwide. Those figures cover general sites, while the more-than-1,000 figure refers specifically to 5G additions in 2026. The announcements describe different categories and periods.
How the Airtel Open Network works
Subscribers can use the Open Network feature to view nearby Airtel sites and check information about their status. The feature also shows facilities undergoing upgrades and, where available, planned deployments. This gives customers a way to compare local network information with the service they experience.
Customers can also report problems such as dropped calls, slow internet, poor connectivity or video buffering. The form allows users to specify where and when an issue occurs, including whether it happens indoors or outdoors. Airtel says its technical teams can use those details to investigate. They can then decide whether to resolve an outage, optimise a site, add capacity or upgrade technology.
The platform does not fix a service problem automatically. It adds a way to share information with Airtel. The operator still has to assess reports and take any needed action. The Nigerian Communications Commission said the platform’s value would depend on Airtel responding to complaints and delivering measurable service improvements.
Network quality and customer complaints
Balsingh acknowledged that service issues remain, even as the company expands its network. “We take those concerns seriously.” — Dinesh Balsingh, Airtel Nigeria CEO. He said Airtel wants to use customer feedback to better understand local problems.
NCC Executive Vice Chairman Aminu Maida welcomed greater transparency. He warned that a nearby site does not guarantee reliable reception or a particular internet speed. Congestion, transmission limits and other technical conditions can still affect service. The regulator urged Airtel to keep the platform’s information clear and updated.
Maida also said customers should be able to distinguish active sites from facilities under construction or planned for the future. Without that distinction, users might mistake a proposed deployment for coverage already available. He urged Airtel to acknowledge complaints, explain next steps and provide updates when an immediate fix is not possible.
What the 5G expansion means for subscribers
The 1,000-site announcement points to a major expansion of Airtel’s 5G infrastructure, but it does not measure service quality by itself. Coverage depends on where sites operate, how they connect to the wider network and whether devices can access the service. The announcement does not establish that all subscribers will see faster speeds or fewer dropped calls.
Airtel’s Open Network may help narrow the information gap between the company and its customers. Reports containing a location, time and description of a fault can give network teams more detail than a general complaint. The benefit will depend on whether Airtel investigates reports and communicates what it does in response.
Ultimately, Airtel says it added over 1,000 5G sites this year and launched a tool for network complaints. That feature may make reports more useful, but it cannot guarantee a fix. Subscribers and regulators will judge progress by Airtel’s response and service quality.
