Airtel Nigeria, the nation’s second-largest network operator, now lets subscribers see nearby 4G and 5G network sites, together with these present process upgrades and deliberate installations, via a brand new function on the My Airtel Africa app.
The function, known as Airtel Open Network, additionally permits prospects to report poor network experiences straight to the telecom operator. Launched in Lagos on October 30, 2026, the platform shows network sites inside a 500-metre radius of a subscriber’s location. It makes use of visible indicators to distinguish energetic sites, these being upgraded, and places the place new sites are deliberate.
Nigeria is the primary of Airtel Africa’s 14 working markets to introduce the function. By combining network visibility with buyer suggestions, Airtel hopes to determine protection gaps and direct engineering consideration to areas the place subscribers expertise poor connectivity.
The transfer tackles a persistent drawback in Nigeria’s telecoms market: network protection doesn’t all the time translate to dependable connectivity. Airtel hopes better network visibility and direct buyer suggestions will assist determine protection gaps and enhance service high quality.
A Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) assessment reported by TechCabal discovered that 78% of main roads had cellular indicators, however solely about 42% provided steady, high-speed 4G or 5G connectivity. The report additionally recognized greater than 120 crucial black spots the place cellular indicators have been fully unavailable.
Speaking on the launch, Dinesh Balsingh, Airtel Nigeria’s CEO, mentioned the platform was designed to make network data extra accessible whereas giving prospects a direct channel to talk service issues.
Trust, he says, grows when prospects can see what is occurring and know that their considerations are being heard. “With Open Network, we are giving customers greater visibility into our network and a more direct way to tell us where their experience falls short,” Balsingh mentioned.
Airtel mentioned it could use suggestions submitted via the platform alongside its infrastructure investments to information network upgrades. This might assist its engineering groups determine places requiring enhancements in protection, capability and reliability.
The initiative additionally offers subscribers a manner to report localised issues that might not be obvious in broader network efficiency assessments.
In his remarks, NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Aminu Maida, mentioned accessible network data might complement the regulator’s efforts to enhance service high quality.
“The Commission’s assessment of service quality will continue to be guided by evidence and the standards that apply across the industry,” Maida mentioned.
Maida desires operators to proceed enhancing their companies past minimal regulatory necessities, notably by addressing persistent connectivity challenges.
However, seeing a nearby mast doesn’t assure dependable reception. Airtel acknowledged that indoor protection, constructing constructions, handset specs, and network congestion can have an effect on particular person subscribers’ expertise.
The NCC’s network quality assessment framework additionally considers components reminiscent of dropped calls, network congestion, availability and knowledge speeds, displaying why the variety of nearby sites alone can’t decide service high quality.
Airtel mentioned Open Network wouldn’t robotically resolve network issues however would make it simpler for purchasers to perceive out there infrastructure and report service gaps. The firm plans to roll out demonstrations and person guides throughout digital, retail, and conventional media channels within the coming weeks.
