Subscribers of MTN Nigeria in select areas of Adamawa, Borno, and Kano states will face short-term connectivity interruptions on Saturday, August 24, as the telecom company carries out essential maintenance on a key fiber optic route to enhance network performance.
The telecom giant issued a statement on Friday revealing that the operation will impact 101 network sites spread across 15 Local Government Areas (LGAs). Scheduled to occur from 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM, the maintenance work involves transferring traffic to newly installed fiber optic infrastructure along the AFCOT–Bawo Village pathway in Adamawa State. This replacement is intended to permanently fix damaged fiber spans and bolster overall network stability.
During the two-hour window, customers using 2G, 3G, and 4G services, as well as a number of corporate clients, may experience temporary disruptions. MTN explained that because the route is linear and unprotected, connectivity interruptions are unavoidable while upgrades are conducted in daylight hours due to security protocols.
The affected regions include LGAs such as Girei, Song, Mubi North, Hong, Gombi, Fufore, Mubi South, Madagali, Michika, Maiha, Chibok, and Yola North in Adamawa; Askira/Uba and Shani in Borno; and Nasarawa in Kano State. While apologizing for any inconvenience caused, MTN emphasized that the enhancement aims to improve service reliability and quality for users within these communities.
This scheduled outage also draws attention to the persistent challenge of fiber cuts nationwide. Telecom operators regularly grapple with damages caused by construction activities, vandalism, and fragmented coordination among stakeholders, posing operational and financial strains.
Airtel Nigeria’s Director of Corporate Communications and CSR, Femi Adeniran, recently shared that his network experiences around 43 fiber cuts daily on average.
Such damage disrupts customer experience, hampers businesses, delays government operations, and jeopardizes public safety, particularly during emergencies…We urge urgent, coordinated actions to protect this vital infrastructure for the benefit of all Nigerians
Over the past six months alone, Airtel has recorded more than 7,700 incidents.
Simultaneous fiber disruptions in May affected MTN and 9mobile users in Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara states, demonstrating the widespread nature of the problem. In response, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) announced a comprehensive approach combining regulatory enforcement, public awareness campaigns, and partnerships with security agencies to tackle the crisis.
Recognizing telecommunications as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) under the Cybersecurity Act, the government has emphasized the collective responsibility of operators, regulators, security bodies, and citizens to safeguard essential network assets.
Since the route is linear and unprotected, service interruptions are necessary during the transition to new fiber infrastructure…all work will be done during daylight hours to ensure safety – MTN
Telecom operators confront approximately 1,100 fiber cuts every week. Our multi-faceted strategy encompasses technical enforcement and collaborative efforts to secure the networks – Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, shared
The critical network upgrade is underway, even as telecom providers and regulators tackle the ongoing challenge of fiber cable damage. With sustained efforts to safeguard infrastructure and strengthen collaboration, millions of Nigerians can look forward to more reliable and uninterrupted service in the near future.
