Airtel Nigeria has launched a digital service that lets subscribers report network problems and obtain information about coverage developments, as President Bola Tinubu urged telecommunications operators to turn infrastructure investment into better customer service.
The Open Network initiative was unveiled in Lagos on Friday, 30 October. It forms part of the My Airtel Africa app and gives customers another channel to describe difficulties with calls and internet connections.
Airtel Nigeria chief executive Dinesh Balsingh said the company had added more than 1,000 fifth-generation network sites during 2026. He linked the expansion to efforts to increase access to faster connectivity and improve the experience of people using mobile services for work and daily communication.
The operator also reported adding more than 1,050 network sites during its last financial year, taking its national footprint beyond 17,000. Those financial-year additions and the calendar-year 5G figure cover different reporting periods and should not be added together as a single expansion total.
Balsingh said information obtained through conventional complaint channels could lack the detail engineers needed to investigate local problems. The new service is intended to help technical teams identify where difficulties occur and direct attention towards the affected areas.
He cautioned that introducing the platform would not automatically repair faults or end service disruptions. Its immediate purpose is to improve the information available to the company and strengthen its response to subscribers.
At the launch, Nigerian Communications Commission executive vice-chairman Aminu Maida called for clearer communication between operators and customers. He said announcements about investment and network expansion did not always tell subscribers when improvements would reach their own neighbourhoods.
Maida described direct consumer feedback as a complement to regulatory monitoring. He urged other operators to improve the responsiveness of their customer-care channels and explain network limitations more clearly.
The commission identified infrastructure vandalism, disputes over rights of way and power supply constraints among the continuing challenges affecting service quality. Maida said greater transparency could improve dialogue with subscribers while those difficulties were addressed.
In a statement issued by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga on Friday, Tinubu welcomed the initiative and called for continued investment, particularly in underserved communities. He also urged operators to deal promptly with complaints and reduce interruptions.
The President said investment should be judged by the experience of Nigerians who depend on telecommunications for their livelihoods, businesses and everyday communication. He linked the initiative to wider efforts to promote private investment and protect consumers.
The statement recalled Tinubu’s February 2025 meeting with Bharti Airtel founder and chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal at the State House in Abuja.
The presidential statement separately highlighted a programme intended to give eligible students up to 100MB of free daily data for approved educational websites and learning resources. That education scheme is distinct from Airtel’s new network-feedback service.
Airtel is also planning to expand its physical customer-service presence. Balsingh said it had more than 225 premium experience stores and intended to increase that number to 500.
The company reported operating more than 9,000 exclusive shops and over 73,000 retail agents nationwide. The proposed increase in premium stores remains a target rather than a completed rollout.
Archive photograph, 21 October 2026: ALTON president Gbenga Adebayo, NCC executive commissioner Rimini Makama and Airtel Nigeria chief executive Dinesh Balsingh at Airtel headquarters. Source: Business Affairs. Individual photographer not identified. This photograph does not show the 30 October launch.
