ABUJA, July 23 – Airtel Nigeria has expanded its retail network to more than 200,000 customer touchpoints and over 4,000 exclusive shops across the country as it steps up efforts to meet growing demand for mobile and digital services.
The wider network will give customers easier access to SIM registration, airtime and data purchases, device sales, customer support and other digital services through partner stores, neighbourhood agents and channel partners.
This comes as Nigeria’s telecommunications industry continues to grow, with operators investing more in network infrastructure and customer reach. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the telecommunications and information services sector contributed $13.4 billion to Nigeria’s real gross domestic product (GDP) in 2025, making up 8.34% of the economy and ranking as the country’s fourth-largest contributor to real GDP.
Demand for connectivity has also continued to rise with data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) showing active mobile subscriptions reached 188 million in April 2026, while broadband subscriptions exceeded 120 million for the first time.
Chief Executive Officer Dinesh Balsingh said the company is strengthening its retail and distribution network to bring its services closer to customers wherever they live and work. Director of Sales and Distribution Joypratip Sengupta said the retail network combines logistics, partnerships and community engagement to improve service delivery nationwide.
The expansion also builds on Airtel’s investment in network infrastructure as the company had earlier this year increased its network sites from just over 13,000 to nearly 17,200 within three years, including more than 1,500 new base stations added in the past year.
Airtel said the growing retail network also supports thousands of distributors, retailers and small businesses across Nigeria while improving access to its services.
