MTN Nigeria has announced that it will carry out a scheduled network maintenance on Saturday, October 25, 2025, which will temporarily disrupt connectivity in parts of Adamawa, Borno, and Kano States.
According to the telecom operator, the two-hour maintenance window — from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. — will affect 101 network sites spread across 15 Local Government Areas in the three northern states.
In a statement, MTN explained that the maintenance is part of a long-term infrastructure upgrade aimed at improving service reliability and strengthening its fibre network in northern Nigeria.
“MTN regrets any inconvenience this may cause and appreciates customers’ understanding,” the company said.
Fibre upgrade and affected areas
The work will involve a fibre cutover on a newly relocated cable segment between AFCOT and Bawo Village, replacing previously damaged fibre spans and reducing the number of joints that have weakened network performance.
The affected areas include:
- Kano State: Nasarawa LGA
- Adamawa State: Girei, Song, Mubi North, Hong, Gombi, Fufore, Mubi South, Madagali, Michika, Maiha, Chibok, and Yola North
- Borno State: Askira/Uba and Shani
MTN noted that services across 2G, 3G, 4G, and 10 enterprise connections will be unavailable during the maintenance period due to the linear and unprotected nature of the fibre route.
The telecom company added that this intervention builds on a network restoration exercise conducted in August 2025 along the same AFCOT–Bawo fibre route. The upcoming phase, it said, represents a more comprehensive upgrade designed to eliminate recurring faults and ensure long-term network stability.
Broader industry context
Nigeria’s telecom sector continues to battle the problem of frequent fibre cuts, which often result in service disruptions. In August, simultaneous cuts affected MTN and 9mobile customers in Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara States, causing widespread blackouts.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has expressed concern about the growing threat to telecom infrastructure. According to the Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Aminu Maida, operators now record an average of 1,100 fibre cuts every week nationwide.
To address the challenge, the Commission has launched a multi-pronged strategy involving stricter technical enforcement, public sensitisation, and collaboration with security agencies.
Telecom infrastructure has also been classified as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) under the Cybersecurity Act, placing shared responsibility on operators, civil society, and citizens to safeguard it.
