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, by means of a brand new function on the My Airtel Africa app.
The function, referred to as Airtel Open Network, additionally permits clients to report poor network experiences instantly 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 lively 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 establish protection gaps and direct engineering consideration to areas the place subscribers expertise poor connectivity.
The transfer tackles a persistent downside in Nigeria’s telecoms market: network protection doesn’t at all times translate to dependable connectivity. Airtel hopes better network visibility and direct buyer suggestions will assist establish protection gaps and enhance service high quality.
A Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) evaluation reported by TechCabal discovered that 78% of main roads had cell indicators, however solely about 42% provided secure, high-speed 4G or 5G connectivity. The report additionally recognized greater than 120 essential black spots the place cell indicators have been fully unavailable.
Speaking on the launch, Dinesh Balsingh, Airtel Nigeria’s CEO, stated the platform was designed to make network info extra accessible whereas giving clients a direct channel to talk service issues.
Trust, he says, grows when clients can see what is going on and know that their issues 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 stated.
Airtel stated it could use suggestions submitted by means of the platform alongside its infrastructure investments to information network upgrades. This might assist its engineering groups establish places requiring enhancements in protection, capability and reliability.
The initiative additionally provides subscribers a approach to report localised issues that might not be obvious in broader network efficiency assessments.
In his remarks, NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Aminu Maida, stated accessible network info 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 stated.
Maida desires operators to proceed bettering 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 buildings, handset specs, and network congestion can have an effect on particular person subscribers’ expertise.
The NCC’s network high quality evaluation framework additionally considers components reminiscent of dropped calls, network congestion, availability and information speeds, exhibiting why the variety of nearby sites alone can not decide service high quality.
Airtel stated Open Network wouldn’t routinely resolve network issues however would make it simpler for patrons to perceive accessible 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.
