Airtel is reshaping Nigeria’s internet landscape by launching a second southern breakout point.
The company will connect the new hub to the 2Africa submarine cable at Kwa Ibo in Akwa Ibom State.
As a result, this expansion creates an alternative path for data, increasing speed and resilience nationwide.
Airtel Expands Southern Breakout
Moreover, Airtel CEO Dinesh Balsingh emphasised that users across Nigeria need reliable, faster connections.
“For years, Nigeria depended on a single cable in Lagos, which caused bottlenecks and vulnerabilities,” he explained.
Consequently, the southern breakout strengthens Airtel’s fibre backbone, which already spans almost every state.
Fibre Network Growth
After committing to double capital expenditure last year, Airtel now plans to grow its fibre network by 25%.
Meanwhile, the company continues deploying infrastructure in cities and inter-state corridors, bringing internet to urban and remote communities.
Read Also: MTN Looks To Fully Own IHS Holdings With Potential 75% Buyout
Since December 2023, Airtel has added 2,242 sites, increasing its total to nearly 16,711 nationwide.
In 2025 alone, Airtel upgraded 30% of its sites, improving capacity in over 5,032 locations.
Today, 99% of Airtel’s network delivers high-speed 4G, providing Nigerians with nationwide mobile broadband coverage.
5G Rollout And Future Plans
Furthermore, the company is accelerating its 5G rollout, having more than doubled active sites in the past three months.
Consequently, Airtel expects to connect the top 20 Nigerian cities to 5G within the next year.
However, around 55% of Lagos still lacks 5G, showing that coverage gaps persist in major cities.
While MTN launched Nigeria’s first 5G in September 2022 and Airtel followed in June 2023, Mafab has yet to start service.
Through long-term planning, Airtel actively strengthens network resilience while delivering speed and reliability.
Therefore, the new southern breakout represents a major step toward a faster, more resilient, and inclusive digital future for Nigeria.
