Infrastructure companies supporting Nigeria’s telecommunications sector have upgraded equipment across more than 2,000 base stations as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen network capacity and improve service quality, the country’s telecom regulator said.
The development comes as the sector plans to invest about N1.86tn this year, following capital expenditure of N2.13tn recorded in 2025 by mobile network operators, tower companies and other industry players.
The figures were disclosed in a communiqué obtained by Sunday PUNCH after the Nigerian Communications Commission’s 109th board meeting.
Infracos, often referred to as tower companies or colocation and infrastructure-sharing licensees, own, manage and maintain critical mobile network infrastructure such as towers, base station sites and related facilities that MTN, Airtel, Globacom and T2 lease rather than build individually.
They play a central role in reducing duplication of infrastructure, lowering deployment costs for operators and accelerating network expansion by allowing multiple telecom operators to share the same physical assets.
“Colocation and infrastructure-sharing licensees have sustained their investment in infrastructure upgrades, deploying new equipment across over 2,000 Base Transceiver Stations to support operators’ network expansion efforts and improve compliance with QoS obligations,” the NCC said in the communiqué.
Nigeria’s main tower and infrastructure-sharing companies include IHS Towers, American Tower Corporation and Pan African Towers, which collectively support major mobile operators by providing shared infrastructure and managing network sites across the country.
These firms typically handle the construction, operation and maintenance of base stations and tower sites, while mobile network operators focus on spectrum, services and customer delivery.
The upgrade of more than 2,000 base stations forms part of a broader push to improve network quality in Africa’s most populous country, where operators face rising data demand, frequent fibre cuts and ongoing complaints over service reliability.
The NCC said infrastructure sharing remains a key strategy for expanding coverage and improving efficiency in the sector, particularly as operators expand capacity to meet growing digital demand.
It added that continued investment in both mobile and fixed infrastructure will be critical to improving service quality and supporting Nigeria’s digital economy ambitions.
“The board acknowledged the significant investments being undertaken by the Mobile Network Operators to enhance network coverage, capacity and overall Quality of Experience,” the NCC said in the communiqué.
“Operators have planned the deployment of over 12,000 additional coverage and capacity sites towards improving the Quality of Experience, with over 5,000 already completed, representing over 40 per cent completion,” it added.
According to industry data, a complete telecom base station costs approximately $450,000 for 5G deployments, while per-site 5G installation ranges from $100,000 to $200,000 depending on location and complexity. In Nigeria, base station costs were around N40m (roughly $100,000 at 2016 rates), with difficult locations reaching up to N50m.
The rollout underscores the scale of Nigeria’s connectivity challenge, where mobile networks remain the dominant source of internet access despite growing pressure to expand fibre-based broadband alternatives.
Alongside new site deployments, the NCC said operators and infrastructure firms are also expanding backhaul and transmission capacity to improve network resilience.
“The board further noted the continued strengthening of transmission infrastructure, with fibre connectivity extended to more than 700 sites, improving network resilience, backhaul capacity and service reliability,” it said.
Nigeria’s telecom sector has faced mounting pressure from surging data consumption, frequent fibre cuts, vandalism of infrastructure and complaints over service quality, prompting regulators to push for both investment and stricter compliance with performance standards.