Airtel Nigeria expands retail network as demand for digital services rises

Airtel Nigeria has expanded its retail footprint to more than 200,000 customer touchpoints and over 4,000 exclusive shops nationwide, as the country’s second-largest telecom operator races to strengthen customer acquisition and support amid intensifying competition and rising demand for digital services. The expansion, announced by the company on Wednesday, is expected to improve access to services, including SIM registration, airtime and data purchases, device sales, customer support, and other digital offerings through a network of partner stores, neighbourhood agents, and channel partners. The move comes as Nigeria’s telecommunications sector continues to grow, with mobile subscriptions and data consumption increasing and operators investing heavily in network infrastructure and customer acquisition. In 2025, the telecommunications and information services sector contributed ₦18.47 trillion ($13.4 billion) to Nigeria’s real gross domestic product (GDP) , accounting for 8.34% of the economy, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). It was the country’s fourth-largest contributor to real GDP throughout the year, underscoring its increasing role in the economy . Rising