IN  a major push for accountability and enhanced service delivery within Nigeria’s telecommunications sector, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has challenged telecommunications operators to embrace absolute transparency with subscribers.
The regulatory body emphasised that building robust, resilient networks requires bridging the communication gap between service providers and everyday consumers.

The call was made during the official launch of Airtel Nigeria’s “Open Network” initiative in Lagos, an innovative digital platform integrated into the My Airtel Africa app. The platform is designed to allow subscribers to map network experiences, report localised coverage issues, and provide direct feedback.

Speaking at the event, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, commended Airtel for taking a bold and unprecedented step towards open engagement.
He noted that while operators frequently announce macro-level investments, site expansions, and capacity upgrades, subscribers often struggle to get precise updates on when improvements will hit their immediate neighbourhoods.
“When services work, people simply get on with their lives. But when they fail, that’s when we realise the importance of connectivity,” Maida stated.

He added that “at the NCC, we monitor service quality stringently, but operator-led transparency initiatives like this complement our oversight by providing granular, crowdsourced insights directly from the consumers.”
Maida acknowledged that while historical industry challenges such as infrastructure vandalism, right-of-way disputes, and power supply constraints continue to impact service quality, transparency fosters a healthier dialogue and builds consumer trust.
He urged other telecommunications companies to emulate Airtel’s initiative by improving the responsiveness of their customer care channels and clarifying network limitations.

Unveiling the product, Airtel Nigeria’s leadership explained that the Open Network feature leverages advanced digital mapping to break down network coverage into precise geographical grids, ranging from one-kilometer blocks down to 38×38 metre intervals.
Airtel’s Chief Executive Officer, Balsingh Dinesh, noted that the platform acts as an unbroken loop of communication. By allowing users to submit localised feedback such as persistent browsing issues, call drops or data throttling, the system channels precise data directly to Airtel’s RF (Radio Frequency) optimisation and engineering teams.
“Open Network does not instantly eliminate every service cell, but it strengthens the information available to us,” the CEO explained. “It gives customers a voice in shaping the connectivity day experience, ensuring that our capital expenditures and site deployment plans target the exact locations experiencing distress.”

The launch aligned with a broader aggressive capital expenditure drive by Airtel Nigeria. The CEO revealed that within the first nine months of 2026 alone, capital investments have surged by over 84 per cent compared to the previous year.
According to him, Airtel has deployed over 1,050 new sites in 2026, pushing its total nationwide network footprint past 73,000 sites.
He said nearly 6,000 kilometres of fiber optic cables have been laid, trenched and integrated over the past 18 months to boost backhaul capacity.

According to him, over 99 per cent of Airtel’s network has been upgraded to 4G, alongside a rapid rollout of 5G sites across major commercial hubs.

He said Airtel is scaling its physical presence, targeting 500 premium experience stores and maintaining over 9,000 exclusive shops alongside 73,000 retail agents nationwide.
The NCC maintained that its assessment of service quality will continue to be driven by empirical data and strict adherence to regulatory key performance indicators (KPIs).