MTN Nigeria Attributes Network Disruptions to Fiber Cuts, Apologizes for Inconvenience

MTN Nigeria, the country’s largest telecommunications provider, has acknowledged widespread network disruptions affecting its customers’ ability to make calls and use data services. The outage, lasting approximately six hours, was attributed to multiple fiber cuts, according to the company’s statement.

Fiber cuts, a persistent challenge in Nigeria’s telecom industry, have been cited as a primary cause of the poor network quality experienced by MTN subscribers. These cuts, often resulting from road construction projects or deliberate acts of vandalism, disrupt the transmission of data over long distances through fiber optic cables.

The telecom giant has assured its customers that its engineering team is diligently working to restore normal services, with gradual improvements observed in some areas. However, the outage coinciding with the deadline set by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for telecom operators to block lines not linked with National Identification Numbers (NINs) has led to heightened concerns among subscribers.

MTN Nigeria has issued apologies for the inconvenience caused by the service disruption and has communicated directly with affected subscribers to provide updates on the situation. The outage, affecting regions across the country, began around 1:39 PM on Wednesday, February 28th.

The broader telecom industry has grappled with the challenge of fiber cuts, with staggering figures revealing the extent of the issue. According to recent data released by the NCC, the industry expended N14 billion to address over 59,000 fiber cuts recorded between 2022 and 2023 alone, underscoring the urgent need for infrastructure resilience and protection.

While MTN works to restore full network functionality, the incident underscores the critical importance of addressing infrastructure vulnerabilities and enhancing network resilience to ensure uninterrupted communication services for Nigerian consumers.