The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has disclosed that telecom operators plan to invest about N1.86 trillion on infrastructure expansion, upgrade network capacity, and improve service quality in the country, in 2026.
ALTON said in a statement that the planned investment would be directed towards network expansion, technology upgrades, and other operational improvements aimed at strengthening service delivery for millions of mobile and data subscribers nationwide.
The planned spending follows capital expenditure of N2.13 trillion recorded by mobile network operators, tower companies, and other industry players in 2025.
According to ALTON, the sustained capital deployment underscores the industry’s efforts to stabilise network performance and meet rising demand for data services, driven by increased digital adoption across banking, commerce, education, and entertainment.
The association noted that the investment cycle is increasingly being driven by domestic funding sources, including reinvested operational earnings, rather than fresh foreign capital inflows.
It pointed to data from the National Bureau of Statistics’ Capital Importation Report for the first quarter of 2026, which showed that foreign capital inflows into the telecommunications sector fell to $7.24m, compared with $80.78m recorded in 2025.
ALTON said the divergence between declining foreign inflows and rising infrastructure investment suggests that conventional capital importation metrics may not fully capture the scale of funding currently supporting network expansion in the sector.
According to the association, operators have increasingly relied on internally generated revenue to finance infrastructure rollout following the 50 per cent tariff adjustment approved in 2025, which it said helped stabilise revenues and restore financial viability across the industry.
The group added that the tariff adjustment enabled operators to move from a period of financial stress to one focused on network expansion and service quality improvements, particularly in underserved and high-demand areas.
ALTON said the planned N1.86tn investment for 2026 would prioritise network densification, fibre expansion, equipment modernisation and improvements in last-mile connectivity as operators seek to address persistent challenges around dropped calls, data speed inconsistencies, and coverage gaps.
