Telecom
MTN Hits 10,000 Base Station Milestone
MTN, Nigeria’s ICT Company, has rolled out a record 10,000 base stations across the country, reinforcing its position as the largest telecom network in Africa.
The additional base stations will contribute to significant improvements to quality of service. They are a major component of the company’s infrastructure and they have direct impact on network capacity and the experience of customers.
Michael Ikpoki, chief executive officer, MTN Nigeria, said the company is focused on three major areas, one of them being significant improvement of customer experience.
He said that MTN would be building on a track record of aggressive investment in the network to ramp up capacity and ultimately improve service quality.
According to him, MTN has led the industry in terms of rapid network rollout, adding that the company’s aggressive drive to significantly improve customer experience on the network in the last few months has led to record deployment of base stations across the country.
“In the last few months, we have ramped up our rollout. Last month we had a record rollout figure and we are currently rolling out up to 300 sites a month to make sure that we have enough capacity. We are getting more head-room, more dormant capacity in the network. That way, we can carry more traffic and give our customers a decent quality of service on a consistent basis. Indeed, there has been noticeable improvement and this will continue,” Ikpoki said.
According to the first indigenous CEO of MTN Nigeria, apart from crossing the 10,000 base station deployment mark, the company has also installed additional switching centres, aside from its world-class network management centre, and approximately 20,000 kilometres of fibre-optic cable cross country and around metropolitan hubs.
“If you look at our investment portfolio from inception till now, MTN has invested more than a trillion naira. From whichever angle you look at it, by normal indices in terms of investment ratio, in most emerging markets, any ratio above 15-17 percent of revenue is a decent ratio in terms of investment. We are doing far in excess of that at MTN Nigeria. This year, we are going to be doing about 42 percent of revenue as capital investment. Last year we did 34 percent of revenue as capital investment,” he said.
Ikpoki said following the unrelenting investment, service quality has actually improved, but there is still room for improvement, pointing out that operational challenges relating to the environment sometimes robbed the network of the gains it has made in capacity expansion.
“Challenges with quality of service are related to operational issues and I know a lot has been said about these challenges. However, we acknowledge that we have a responsibility to ensure we deliver a good customer experience. That is something we take very seriously. That said, there are quite a number of operational issues which we cannot wish away. Sixty to seventy percent of the challenges we have are mainly power-related,” he said.
He said that other impediments relate to multiple taxation and over-regulation resulting in interference with MTN infrastructure by various state and local Governments.
“Right now, we need to have a harmonized tax regime in all the states and local governments or else, we will continue to have a situation where roll out is impeded. So it is a very complex logistical matter to effectively manage a network of this size in an environment where taxes and levies are often diverse and completely arbitrary. But we are doing the very best we can and we are receiving a great deal of support from the NCC, the Ministry of Communication Technology and other Government stakeholders. It is in every one’s interest for us to deliver excellent service and this is our goal,” he said.
Lebara Nigeria has become a member of the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) as it expands operations in the West African country.
The membership places Lebara Nigeria within a global network of more than 1,000 mobile operators, device manufacturers, technology companies and digital service providers.
Through the GSMA, the company will have access to industry research, technical standards, policy engagement and industry initiatives.
Lebara Nigeria said the move reflects its participation in the wider telecommunications ecosystem as it develops its operations in Nigeria’s mobile market.
Nigeria’s telecommunications sector plays a central role in the country’s digital economy, with more than 170 million active mobile subscriptions supporting services such as digital payments, e-commerce, education and healthcare.
Industry analysts say participation in international bodies such as the GSMA supports knowledge sharing and the adoption of industry standards.
Lebara Nigeria said GSMA membership will support its engagement with industry developments and policy discussions in the telecommunications sector.
The company said it remains focused on operating in Nigeria’s mobile telecommunications market as demand for connectivity continues to grow.
GSM Association is the advocacy and lobbying organization for the mobile communications industry, representing more than 1,000 mobile operators as full members and a further 400 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem as associate members.
Management of Vitel Wireless, mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), has distanced the company from a fraudulent scheme operating under the name: “Vitel Shares Services.”
In an official statement, the management clarified that Vitel Wireless is not selling shares or running any investment schemes.
They warned that the operators of “Vitel Shares Services” are using unauthorised websites, mobile applications, social media promotions, and bank accounts falsely linked to Vitel Wireless to mislead the public.
The statement reads: “The attention of Vitel Wireless has been drawn to a fraudulent scheme operating under the name ‘Vitel Shares Services.’
“We wish to state clearly that Vitel Wireless has no affiliation with Vitel Shares Services, or any platform claiming to offer Vitel shares, investments, or financial products through unofficial channels.
“We do not solicit investments through agents, social media, websites, apps, or third parties. Any platform claiming to offer Vitel Wireless shares or investments outside our official channels is fraudulent and should be treated as such.
“We urge the general public to remain vigilant and verify all information through official Vitel Wireless communication channels before making any payments or sharing personal data.”
Airtel Nigeria has concluded its second Customer Forum in Abuja, bringing together a large section of customers including high-volume data subscribers, 5G customers, and key stakeholders in another landmark engagement aimed at addressing concerns around data usage, transparency, and customer experience.
The forum themed “Understanding Your Data and Taking Control 2.0.” aimed to strengthen trust in Nigeria’s rapidly evolving telecommunications landscape. The session also featured inputs from representatives of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Delivering the Keynote remarks, Dinesh Balsingh, CEO of Airtel Nigeria, who was represented by Femi Adeniran, Director, Corporate Communications and CSR, emphasised that trust remains the most valuable currency in telecommunications, and Airtel remains committed to strengthening customer confidence through transparency and continuous engagement.
He explained that discussions around data consumption have become increasingly important as digital lifestyles evolve, with smartphones, cloud services, video streaming and emerging artificial intelligence applications significantly influencing data usage patterns.
According to him, Airtel recently introduced the Airtel Data Calculator, an innovative tool designed to help customers estimate their data needs based on online activities such as multimedia streaming, video calls, social media usage, and gaming.
“The purpose of the Airtel Data Calculator is to provide greater visibility, support informed decision-making and place more information directly in the hands of customers. Because transparency should never be viewed as a compliance exercise. Transparency is good business,” he stated.
He further reassured customers that Airtel has no incentive to shortchange subscribers through inaccurate billing, forced spending or unnecessary data depletion, stressing that the company’s growth depends on customer satisfaction, loyalty and trust.
Adeniran also highlighted Airtel’s continued investments in network infrastructure, fibre capacity, digital platforms, artificial intelligence capabilities, customer service systems and workforce development, noting that these investments are aimed at improving service quality and enhancing customer experiences.
Oladokun Oye, Director, Customer Experience, Airtel Nigeria, while welcoming participants to the event, said the forum was created to provide customers with an open platform for education, engagement and problem-solving, noting that the customer remains at the centre of Airtel’s business.
“Data has become central to everyday life, powering work, education, commerce, entertainment, healthcare and countless opportunities. As data usage grows, so too does the desire for greater visibility and understanding.
Today’s conversation is part of an ongoing journey. A journey toward greater transparency. A journey toward deeper understanding. And a journey toward a better customer experience for every Airtel subscriber,” he said.
The forum also featured practical demonstrations on data consumption management, device settings, and usage habits that impact data usage. It also included an interactive session by which Airtel teams provided clarifications and offered feedback to customers.
The Abuja event follows the successful maiden edition held earlier this year in Lagos and aligns with broader industry efforts led by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to improve consumer awareness, transparency, and confidence within the telecommunications sector.
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