Mobile network operators in Nigeria have deployed 8,526 of the 12,179 coverage and capacity sites they committed to providing across the country, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The figure represents approximately 70 per cent of the commitments made by the operators and shows a significant improvement from the roughly 5,000 sites recorded at the commission’s previous board meeting.
In a statement signed by its Director of Public Affairs, Nnenna Ukoha, on Sunday, the NCC said the latest progress was recorded during the 110th meeting of its board held on September 9.
The commission said the board reviewed the deployment figures and noted the accelerated progress made by network operators.
“The board further noted that 8,526 out of the 12,179 committed coverage and capacity sites have now been deployed across the country, representing approximately 70 per cent of the communicated commitments.
“This reflects accelerated progress from the approximately 5,000 sites reported at the last meeting.”
The increased deployment comes as telecom operators continue efforts to expand network capacity, improve coverage and strengthen the quality of services available to consumers.
However, the NCC said the growing number of fibre cuts remains a major concern for network reliability.
According to the regulator, damage to fibre infrastructure contributed significantly to the increase in network disruptions recorded in June, making the protection of existing telecommunications infrastructure as important as expanding network capacity.
“Despite this progress, the board noted that fibre cuts contributed to a sharp rise in network disruptions in June, underscoring the need for infrastructure expansion to be matched by stronger protection of critical communications infrastructure,” it stated.
Fibre optic infrastructure carries significant volumes of voice and data traffic across telecommunications networks. When the cables are damaged, services can be disrupted across locations that depend on the affected infrastructure.
The NCC had previously warned about the high number of fibre cuts caused by road construction, excavation and related activities. More than 5,000 fibre cuts were recorded during the first half of 2026, according to earlier warnings from the regulator.
At its previous board meeting, the commission said operators had deployed more than 5,000 of the over 12,000 sites committed for network expansion, representing more than 40 per cent implementation at the time.
The latest figures therefore indicate that operators have deployed roughly 3,500 additional sites since the previous update.
Beyond network expansion, the board’s latest meeting also considered issues including network resilience, digital trust, inclusive connectivity, consumer protection, fair competition and the sustainable development of Nigeria’s digital economy.
The NCC’s latest update shows that operators are making substantial progress towards their network deployment commitments. However, the regulator stressed the importance of protecting fibre and other critical telecommunications infrastructure to ensure the additional network capacity translates into more stable and reliable services for Nigerians.
Source: Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)
