The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced that telecom operators have committed to a large-scale upgrade of infrastructure across the country in 2026, aimed at improving network quality and expanding coverage.
According to the Commission, mobile network operators have pledged to upgrade about 12,000 sites within the year as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen service delivery nationwide. The initiative is expected to address persistent issues such as poor connectivity, dropped calls, and slow internet speeds that many subscribers continue to experience. The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, revealed this commitment during a media interaction in Lagos. He noted that the industry is already making progress, with thousands of sites already upgraded in the early part of the year. He added that the pace of investment shows that operators are actively responding to regulatory expectations and growing consumer demand for better service quality.According to him, “So far, 2,800 of those have been done, including about 63 new sites.”
This indicates that operators are not only upgrading existing infrastructure but also expanding network reach with new installations.The NCC explained that the upgrades will include improvements in network capacity, migration of older 2G and 3G infrastructure to 4G and 5G systems, and deployment of additional spectrum to enhance performance. These changes are expected to improve internet speed, reduce congestion, and provide more stable connectivity across urban and rural areas.
The Commission further stated that the ongoing investments reflect a broader industry shift toward meeting rising data consumption needs driven by streaming, digital payments, remote work, and increased smartphone usage.Operators have also been encouraged to maintain sustained investment in network expansion to ensure that service quality keeps pace with demand. The NCC emphasized that improving telecom infrastructure remains central to Nigeria’s digital economy goals.
It also highlighted that recent policy reforms in the sector have helped attract significant investment, enabling operators to scale up their infrastructure development plans more aggressively than in previous years.Overall, the 12,000-site upgrade commitment signals one of the largest coordinated infrastructure improvement efforts in Nigeria’s telecom sector in recent years, with the aim of delivering better and more reliable connectivity for millions of users across the country.
