Airtel Africa has reiterated its commitment to improving customer experience through continued investment in its network, advanced technologies and strategic partnerships to expand coverage and capacity across the continent.

Speaking at the beginning of Customer Service Week 2026, Airtel Africa’s Chief Executive Officer, Sunil Taldar, said the theme of this year’s event, “The Extra Mile”, aligned with the company’s commitment to improving customer experience.

He said Airtel Africa would continue to transform customer experience by listening to consumers, understanding their needs and responding to their expectations.

“By digitising our services and broadening access to connectivity, we are helping to unlock extraordinary opportunities for people, businesses and economies across the continent,” Taldar said.

He referred to Airtel Africa’s recent commercial deployment of direct-to-device satellite connectivity in underserved rural communities, which enables customers with compatible smartphones to remain connected in areas beyond the reach of terrestrial mobile networks, provided they have a clear view of the sky.

Over the last year, Airtel Africa has added more than 3,250 new sites and 3,200 kilometres of fibre, alongside investments in retail outlets, distribution channels and artificial intelligence tools aimed at improving customers’ digital experience.

To protect customers from spam and potentially fraudulent messages, the company also pioneered its AI-powered Spam Alert service, which is available free to subscribers to identify and block suspected spam SMS messages and provide real-time updates.

The company said its employees would join frontline teams across its 14 markets to engage customers, assess their experiences and identify ways to improve service delivery.

Meanwhile, MTN Nigeria has begun distributing automatic airtime credits to subscribers as compensation for poor network quality.

The operator, however, clarified that the compensation relates only to network quality and not data depletion.
The compensation covers network quality deficiencies recorded between February and April 2026.

It follows directives by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) requiring operators to compensate subscribers affected by prolonged or repeated service failures.

MTN subscribers began receiving notifications of the compensation on Sunday, with credits varying significantly among customers. Screenshots shared by subscribers showed compensation ranging from N20 to N1,436.

However, the relatively small credits received by some customers have raised questions about how the compensation is calculated, who qualifies and whether the intervention adequately addresses wider consumer complaints in the telecommunications sector.

One subscriber who received N20 questioned the amount while alleging that his mobile data had repeatedly been depleted without corresponding usage.

MTN, in response, said the credit should not be interpreted as compensation for the subscriber’s data depletion complaint.