Telecommunications operators in Nigeria have surpassed $1 billion in capital investment, with plans to upgrade 12,000 network sites in 2026, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). Executive Vice Chairman Aminu Maida disclosed this during a media briefing in Lagos, highlighting a dramatic increase from just over 300 site upgrades completed in 2025. So far, 2,800 upgrades have been carried out, including the deployment of 63 new sites, exceeding last year's total. The expansion involves deploying additional spectrum on existing 4G infrastructure and upgrading legacy 2G and 3G systems to 4G and 5G technologies.
Maida stated that at least one telecom company has already exceeded $1 billion in investment this year, describing the financial commitment as vital for network growth. The NCC facilitated spectrum trades under its secondary market framework, redistributing 100MHz of underutilised spectrum previously held by NATCOM and T2 (mobile), while also releasing 50MHz from its own holdings. This spectrum is intended to serve as a "highway" for telecom traffic, with lower frequency bands prioritised for rural coverage due to their wider reach. The commission also announced the immediate implementation of a subscriber compensation policy for poor service. Maida explained the policy's aim is to ensure affected users "get something back."
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