Bharti Airtel has said its global customer base has surpassed 650 million, placing it as the second largest telecommunications operator by subscribers.
The company disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday.
Airtel said the figure reflects its operations across several markets and its ability to serve customers through its network.
In Nigeria, the company said it has expanded its infrastructure over the past three years, increasing its site count from over 13,000 to about 17,200.
It added that more than 1,500 sites were added in the last one year to improve coverage and capacity.
Data from the Nigerian Communications Commission showed that as of December 2025, Nigeria had 145,141 base stations across different network layers.
Airtel said it accounts for 46,918 base-station layers in the country.
The company also said nearly all its sites in Nigeria are now enabled for 4G services, with upgrades carried out to improve speed and performance.
It added that Nigeria’s internet penetration has risen above 50 percent, with growth in new internet users linked to network expansion.
Airtel said it is working on a second international internet gateway through a submarine cable landing point at Kwa Ibo in Akwa Ibom State.
According to the company, the project is expected to improve connectivity across regions.
Airtel also said its mobile money platform, SmartCash, has over three million active users in Nigeria.
It added that its retail network includes about 4,000 outlets across the country.
Chief executive officer of Airtel Nigeria Dinesh Balsingh said the milestone reflects customer trust in the company’s services.
“Reaching 650 million customers globally reflects the trust people place in Airtel’s networks and services,” he said.
He added that the company will continue to invest in infrastructure and digital services in Nigeria.
