SUN NOV 01 2026-theGBJournal| Airtel Nigeria has introduced a digital platform allowing subscribers to examine mobile network coverage, locate nearby telecommunications infrastructure and formally report poor service, giving customers a more direct channel to communicate connectivity problems to the operator.
The initiative, known as Airtel Open Network, is accessible through the MyAirtel application and allows users to view coverage across 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G networks, identify existing network sites and monitor infrastructure upgrades in their locations.
Subscribers can also report problems including weak signals, dropped calls, slow internet speeds and interrupted connectivity, with complaints assigned service-request numbers that allow them to track their submissions.
The platform, unveiled in Lagos on October 30, comes amid growing scrutiny of telecommunications service quality in Nigeria, where subscribers continue to report difficulties with voice calls, mobile internet access and transactions dependent on reliable connectivity.
Rather than relying entirely on conventional customer-care channels, Airtel is seeking to use location-specific customer feedback to help its technical teams identify areas experiencing poor service and determine where network improvements may be necessary.
Airtel’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dinesh Balsingh, said the initiative was designed to give customers greater visibility into the company’s network and provide a more precise understanding of their service experiences.
The company said information submitted through the platform would help it identify coverage gaps, prioritise infrastructure upgrades, determine locations requiring additional network sites and improve network capacity.
The development also introduces an additional dimension to the relationship between telecommunications operators and their customers by making aspects of network infrastructure more visible to subscribers.
However, access to network information does not necessarily translate into immediate improvements in service delivery.
The Nigerian Communications Commission has previously identified network congestion, infrastructure limitations and other technical factors as contributors to poor service quality. The proximity of a telecommunications site to a subscriber does not automatically guarantee reliable connectivity.
The initiative comes against the backdrop of growing regulatory and legislative attention to telecommunications service delivery.
The House of Representatives’ committee investigating persistent poor network quality recently directed the chief executives of major telecommunications operators, including Airtel, MTN and Globacom, to appear before it on November 4 to explain recurring service problems.
Separately, Nigerian Communications Commission data showed that mobile network operators recorded 413,587 consumer complaints in the first half of 2026, covering network quality, billing, data depletion, failed transactions and other service-related issues.
Airtel accounted for 228,992 of the complaints, although the figures cover multiple categories and should not be interpreted as network-quality complaints alone.
The commission says its complaint-monitoring framework is designed to assess operators’ responsiveness, resolution rates and compliance with consumer protection requirements.
For Airtel subscribers, the practical value of Open Network will ultimately depend on whether reported problems receive timely attention and lead to measurable improvements in affected locations.
The platform therefore provides more than a new way to view network coverage. It creates an additional channel through which customers can document their experiences and seek attention for persistent connectivity problems.
X-@theGBJournal|email:gbj@govbusinessjournal.com|govandbusinessj@gmail.com
