In order to upgrade its fibre infrastructure, MTN Nigeria plans to temporarily shut down 101 network points on October 25, 2025.
Parts of Adamawa, Borno, and Kano States will be affected by this two-hour blackout, which will last from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. and interrupt enterprise and mobile services.
The move is part of MTN’s ongoing efforts to enhance network stability and service quality in northern Nigeria.
Fibre upgrade targeting network stability
As part of the maintenance work, fibre will be cut over on a newly moved cable section between AFCOT and Bawo Village. MTN said that this action will repair damaged fibre spans and cut down on the number of joints affecting the network’s optical performance. The update builds on a similar restoration project in August 2025, promising a bigger upgrade this time.
“This maintenance is necessary to eliminate damaged spans and improve overall network stability,” the company said.
However, MTN regretted any inconvenience caused by the temporary disruption affecting 2G, 3 G, 4G, and 10 enterprise service connections across 15 Local Government Areas (LGAs).
Service disruptions across 15 LGAs
The affected regions encompass the Nasarawa LGA of Kano State and numerous LGAs in Adamawa State, such as Girei, Song, Mubi North, Hong, Gombi, Fufore, Mubi South, Madagali, Michika, Maiha, Chibok, and Yola North.
Additionally, the Askira/Uba and Shani LGAs in Borno State are also directly affected. While the maintenance window is in effect, all services at the afflicted sites will be unavailable due to the fibre line’s linear and unprotected route.
These regions will experience mobile data and voice service disruptions during the allocated hours for customers and enterprises. MTN emphasised its appreciation for customers’ understanding as it pursues this essential upgrade to boost long-term network performance.
Addressing the challenge of frequent fibre cuts
Nigeria’s telecommunications infrastructure faces persistent obstacles, including frequent fibre outages that disrupt network services nationwide. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) reports an average of 1,100 fibre outages per week, which poses a significant threat to connectivity.
During recent communications industry oversight, Dr Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, highlighted this issue. In response, the NCC has launched a multi-pronged strategy that includes stricter technical enforcement and collaboration with security agencies to safeguard telecom assets.
MTN’s scheduled upgrade aligns with industry efforts to improve resilience against such disturbances, classifying telecom infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure under the Cybersecurity Act.