MTN Nigeria to Conduct Network Maintenance in Three States This Saturday

MTN Nigeria has announced that subscribers in parts of Adamawa, Borno, and Kano states will experience temporary service disruptions on Saturday, August 24, 2025. The interruption is due to scheduled network maintenance aimed at replacing damaged fiber infrastructure along the AFCOT–Bawo Village route in Adamawa State.

The maintenance will affect 101 sites across 15 Local Government Areas (LGAs), including 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. The exercise is scheduled to run from 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM and will involve cutting over traffic to a newly installed fiber route. MTN noted that due to the linear and unprotected nature of the route, services will be interrupted during the maintenance window, which is being conducted during daylight hours for security reasons.

During this two-hour window, users of 2G, 3G, and 4G services, along with 10 enterprise customers, may experience temporary connectivity issues. MTN expressed regret for the inconvenience and emphasized that the upgrade is intended to enhance service quality and reliability in the affected regions.

This disruption also highlights the broader issue of frequent fiber cuts in Nigeria’s telecom sector. Airtel Nigeria recently reported an average of 43 fiber cuts daily, attributing the problem to construction activities, vandalism, and poor coordination among stakeholders. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has raised concerns, revealing that telecom operators nationwide now record an average of 1,100 fiber cuts weekly. In response, the NCC has adopted a multi-pronged strategy involving technical enforcement, public awareness, and collaboration with security agencies. President Bola Tinubu has officially designated telecom infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure under the Cybersecurity Act, placing a national security responsibility on all stakeholders