Airtel Nigeria puts its network map in subscribers’ hands

Airtel Nigeria, the country’s second-largest network operator, now lets subscribers see nearby 4G and 5G network sites, including those undergoing upgrades and planned installations, through a new feature on the My Airtel Africa app. 

The feature, called Airtel Open Network, also allows customers to report poor network experiences directly to the telecom operator. Launched in Lagos on October 30, 2026, the platform displays network sites within a 500-metre radius of a subscriber’s location. It uses visual indicators to distinguish active sites, those being upgraded, and locations where new sites are planned.

Nigeria is the first of Airtel Africa’s 14 operating markets to introduce the feature. By combining network visibility with customer feedback, Airtel hopes to identify coverage gaps and direct engineering attention to areas where subscribers experience poor connectivity.

The move tackles a persistent problem in Nigeria’s telecoms market: network coverage does not always translate to reliable connectivity. Airtel hopes greater network visibility and direct customer feedback will help identify coverage gaps and improve service quality.

A Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) assessment reported by TechCabal found that 78% of major roads had mobile signals, but only about 42% offered stable, high-speed 4G or 5G connectivity. The report also identified more than 120 critical black spots where mobile signals were completely unavailable.

With Airtel Open Network, subscribers can report poor network experiences directly to Airtel Nigeria. Image Source: Getty Images.

Speaking at the launch, Dinesh Balsingh, Airtel Nigeria’s CEO, said the platform was designed to make network information more accessible while giving customers a direct channel to communicate service problems.

Trust, he says, grows when customers can see what is happening and know that their concerns 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 said.

Airtel said it would use feedback submitted through the platform alongside its infrastructure investments to guide network upgrades. This could help its engineering teams identify locations requiring improvements in coverage, capacity and reliability.

The initiative also gives subscribers a way to report localised problems that may not be apparent in broader network performance assessments.

In his remarks, NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Aminu Maida, said accessible network information could complement the regulator’s efforts to improve service quality.

“The Commission’s assessment of service quality will continue to be guided by evidence and the standards that apply across the industry,” Maida said.

Maida wants operators to continue improving their services beyond minimum regulatory requirements, particularly by addressing persistent connectivity challenges.

However, seeing a nearby mast does not guarantee reliable reception. Airtel acknowledged that indoor coverage, building structures, handset specifications, and network congestion can affect individual subscribers’ experience.

The NCC’s network quality assessment framework also considers factors such as dropped calls, network congestion, availability and data speeds, showing why the number of nearby sites alone cannot determine service quality.

Airtel said Open Network would not automatically resolve network problems but would make it easier for customers to understand available infrastructure and report service gaps. The company plans to roll out demonstrations and user guides across digital, retail, and traditional media channels in the coming weeks.