Airtel Nigeria is set to launch the country’s second internet breakout point, a major infrastructure upgrade designed to strengthen connectivity, improve network resilience, and accelerate digital inclusion nationwide. The project, in partnership with 2Africa, will route internet traffic through the submarine cable landing station in Kwa Ibo, Akwa Ibom State providing an alternative to the long-standing Lagos-only breakout point.
The move aligns with Airtel’s broader strategy to double capital expenditure and invest in a digitally backed future for its customers and the Nigerian economy. By decentralizing international traffic flows, the company aims to reduce congestion, enhance redundancy, and deliver faster, more stable internet services, particularly across the southern regions and underserved areas.
“This is a pivotal national milestone,” said Airtel Nigeria CEO Dinesh Balsingh. “It creates a faster, alternative path for large parts of the North and South and improves resilience across the entire ecosystem. Airtel is proud to take the lead in making this happen.”
Alongside the new breakout point, Airtel plans to expand its fibre footprint by 25% across major cities and states. The operator is also strengthening its service portfolio through cloud investments and a Direct-to-Cell partnership with Starlink, positioning itself at the forefront of quality-of-service leadership in Nigeria’s telecoms market.
Nigeria’s 4G network now accounts for nearly 53% of total market share, up from 31.75% in early 2023. Airtel has played a significant role in this shift, with 99% of its sites now 4G-enabled. In 2025 alone, the company boosted capacity across more than 5,000 sites and expanded its total network footprint to nearly 16,711 locations nationwide.
Chief Technology Officer Harmanpreet Singh Dhillon emphasized that sustaining these upgrades depends on continuous investment in infrastructure, spectrum depth, and optimization. “We have increased our 4G spectrum by 10MHz and are actively optimizing our holdings to support higher data throughput, better speeds, and more consistent service, especially in high-traffic areas,” he said.
The broader Nigerian telecoms industry added 14.7 million subscribers in 2025, reaching 179.64 million users by year-end. Airtel, with a 33.94% market share and 60.9 million subscribers, is scaling its network to meet the surging demand for voice and data services.
Looking ahead, Airtel has more than doubled its active 5G sites in recent months and plans to connect the top 20 Nigerian cities to high-speed 5G networks. “In 2026, we are accelerating these upgrades because Nigeria’s data appetite is growing, and leadership in this industry will belong to those who plan,” Balsingh said.
With the launch of Nigeria’s second internet breakout, expanded fibre infrastructure, and aggressive 4G and 5G rollouts, Airtel is positioning itself not just as a telecom operator, but as a critical enabler of Nigeria’s digital economy.
