By our Correspondent
President Bola Tinubu has welcomed Airtel Nigeria’s Open Network initiative, describing it as a step towards greater transparency, consumer protection and improved telecommunications services.
Unveiled in Lagos on Friday October 30, 2026 in the presence of the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Aminu Maida, the initiative enables subscribers to access information on network developments in their areas and report service challenges directly to the operator.
In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said the laudable initiative aligns with his administration’s commitment to attracting private-sector investment, expanding digital infrastructure and improving access to reliable telecommunications services.
The President also welcomed the NCC’s efforts to promote transparency through public network coverage maps, performance information and consumer satisfaction surveys.
He highlighted the administration’s zero-rated access initiative, implemented through the NCC in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education and telecom operators, which provides eligible students with up to 100MB of free daily data to access approved educational platforms.
Tinubu recalled his February 2025 meeting with Bharti Airtel Founder and Chairman, Mr Sunil Bharti Mittal, at the State House, Abuja, where he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for telecommunications investment.
He commended Airtel’s expansion, noting that its network infrastructure had grown from about 15,000 sites two years ago to more than 17,000 nationwide.
The expansion includes over 1,050 additional sites during the company’s 2025/26 financial year, among them 657 5G sites.
President Tinubu commended the NCC for strengthening regulatory oversight and consumer protection, urging telecom operators to sustain investments, expand coverage in underserved communities and respond promptly to customer complaints.
He stressed that the impact of telecommunications investment must be reflected in improved network coverage, fewer service disruptions and better customer experience for Nigerians. (GSF)
Comments