Nigeria’s mobile network operators have committed to deploying 12,000 additional network coverage and capacity sites.
According to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) have planned the deployment of more than 12,000 additional coverage and capacity sites, with over 5,000 already completed, representing approximately 41.7 per cent of the rollout programme.
The NCC’s Governing Board acknowledged the investment commitments at its 109th meeting held on May 25, 2026, describing the deployment programme as a significant step toward improving subscriber experience across the country.
The Commission said the investment is expected to enhance network coverage, increase capacity and improve the overall Quality of Experience for subscribers.
Beyond the sites themselves, fibre connectivity has been extended to more than 700 locations, strengthening network backhaul capacity and improving resilience across the transmission infrastructure layer, a critical but often invisible component of mobile network performance.
Infrastructure sharing companies have also contributed to the expansion drive, deploying new equipment across more than 2,000 Base Transceiver Stations to support operators’ coverage obligations and improve compliance with the NCC’s Quality of Service standards.
The infrastructure push comes against a backdrop of sustained subscriber growth and rising data consumption, which have together exposed the fragility of a network architecture still heavily dependent on mobile connectivity rather than fixed broadband.
The NCC has been explicit that infrastructure investment is not discretionary, it is a regulatory obligation, and the Board’s acknowledgement of operator commitments at the 109th meeting reflects both progress made and the distance still to travel before Nigerian consumers experience consistently reliable connectivity.
