Airtel becomes the second largest telecom operator in the world with…

Airtel announced that it has surpassed 650 million mobile subscribers globally, becoming the world’s second largest telecom operator by customer base.

Airtel made this known in a statement on Saturday 4 April 2026.

He said this achievement reflects a network of vast scale, with the ability to serve diverse markets with consistent quality and deliver a customer experience driven by sustained innovation.

The company revealed that it has significantly expanded its network infrastructure in Nigeria over the past three years, increasing the number of sites from just over 13,000 to almost 17,200.

It added that more than 1,560 sites have been deployed in the past 12 months, bolstering capacity in high-demand corridors and extending high-speed coverage to previously underserved regions.

According to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigeria has registered 145,141 base stations across 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G networks as of December 2025.

Airtel said that as an organisation, it has 46,918 base station tiers, reflecting its contribution to the country’s radio access network and efforts to absorb growing data consumption.

Airtel said nearly 99% of its sites in Nigeria are now 4G-enabled, placing it among operators with near-ubiquitous high-speed broadband coverage.

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The telco added that thousands of sites have been upgraded over the past year to improve network capacity, speed and stability during peak usage.

He noted that internet penetration in Nigeria recently surpassed 50%, with Airtel recording one of the largest monthly increases in new internet subscribers.

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The growth, he said, was driven by network enhancements in states and rural corridors.

On infrastructure resilience, Airtel said it is progressing plans for a second undersea cable internet breakpoint in Kwa Ibo, Akwa Ibom State.

Airtel said the project, linked to the deployment of the 2Africa cable system, will provide faster and more resilient connectivity, in line with global best practices in terms of network redundancy and diversity.

The company also highlighted the growth of its digital finance platform, SmartCash, which it said now serves over three million active users in Nigeria.

He added that the platform is supported by an extensive agent network and digital services designed to reduce barriers to financial transactions and savings.

The company added that its retail distribution network includes approximately 4,000 unique stores nationwide, bringing service, support and products closer to customers in urban and rural communities.

Airtel has reaffirmed its commitment to sustained innovation, including expanded fiber backbone, advanced mobile broadband and future-ready services such as satellite solutions and enterprise digital platforms.

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