Lagos, Nigeria – Bharti Airtel has crossed 650 million mobile subscribers globally, a milestone that positions the company as the second-largest telecom operator in the world by customer base, according to a statement released on Friday.
Okay News reports that the company’s network reaches over two billion people globally, including more than 179 million customers across 14 countries in Africa. Crossing this threshold reflects a network of immense scale and the capacity to deliver consistent quality across diverse markets.
In Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria has significantly expanded its network footprint, increasing its site count from 13,000 to nearly 17,200 within three years. More than 1,500 sites were added in the last year alone, aimed at improving capacity in high-demand areas and extending coverage to underserved regions.
Data from the Nigerian Communications Commission shows that Nigeria had 145,141 base stations across multiple network layers as of December 2025. Airtel accounts for 46,918 of these stations in the country’s telecom infrastructure.
The company also disclosed that it is advancing plans for its second submarine cable internet breakout point at Kwa Ibo in Akwa Ibom State. This will be part of the 2Africa cable system rollout, providing faster and more resilient national connectivity across regions.
Nigeria’s telecom sector remains dominated by MTN Nigeria and Airtel Nigeria. MTN maintains market leadership with 52.31 percent share, while Airtel holds 33.89 percent. Other operators trail behind, with Globacom at 12.21 percent and T2 at 1.59 percent.
This global subscriber milestone reinforces Airtel’s position as a major player in the telecommunications industry, with significant operations across Africa and Asia.
