Airtel Zambia to invest US$107m in major network upgrade

Details: Manny Pham; Category: Operators; 19 December 2025; 9384 views

Airtel Zambia has announced plans to invest US$107 million in a nationwide network upgrade programme, following pressure from the country’s telecoms regulator to improve quality of service.

In a social media post, the operator said the expansion represents its “largest single-year infrastructure investment” to strengthen service reliability and extend coverage across the country.

The programme includes the deployment of 406 new network sites, of which 121 are already live. The remaining 285 sites are scheduled for completion by March. Zambian customers have faced network congestion amid rising demand across critical sectors such as healthcare and education.

Airtel Zambia managing director Hussam Baday said the operator is responding to growing consumer demand for higher-quality connectivity. He added that improvements in power availability over the past week are expected to contribute to a more stable network experience.

Last month, Zambia’s telecoms regulator ZICTA warned operators to improve services, citing a “persistent deterioration” in quality of service.