Telecommunications company, Bharti Airtel, has crossed 650 million mobile subscribers globally, a milestone that positions it as the second largest telecom operator in the world by customer base.
The company disclosed this in a statement on Friday.
With operations spanning multiple countries, its network reaches over two billion people globally, including more than 179 million customers across 14 countries in Africa.
The company stated that crossing 650 million subscribers reflects the scale of its global operations and its ability to deliver services across multiple markets.
“Crossing 650 million mobile subscribers worldwide, now positions the company as the second-largest telecommunications operator on the planet by customer base
“Crossing this threshold reflects a network of immense scale, the capacity to reach customers across diverse markets with consistent quality, and the ability to deliver experiences shaped by sustained innovation,” they stated
In Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria has significantly expanded its network footprint, increasing its site count from 13,000 to nearly 17,200 within three years.
According to the company, more than 1,500 sites were added in the last year alone, aimed at improving capacity in high-demand areas and extending coverage to underserved regions.
Data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) shows that Nigeria had 145,141 base stations across multiple network layers as of December 2025. Of this, Airtel accounts for 46,918 in the country’s telecom infrastructure.
The company also disclosed that it is advancing plans for its second submarine cable internet breakout point at Kwa Ibo in Akwa Ibom State, early in the 2Africa cable system rollout, to provide faster and more resilient national connectivity across regions.
