Nigeria’s largest telecom operator, MTN Nigeria, has revealed that it experienced 9,218 fibre cut incidents in 2025, a major factor behind widespread network and internet service disruptions during the year.
The figures were shared by the company’s Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Karl Toriola, in a year-end social media update titled “MTN Nigeria 2025 Wrapped.”
Year-End Review Highlights Network and Service Gaps
Toriola explained that the annual review was designed to critically assess customer experience, network performance, and operational challenges, rather than celebrate business achievements.
He noted that MTN, like other telecom operators, faced ongoing infrastructure-related issues that affected service reliability. The 9,218 fibre cuts recorded between January 1 and December 31, 2025 underscore the difficulty subscribers faced in accessing stable voice and data services.
MTN Leads Network Disruptions in December 2025
The disclosure supports recent industry data indicating that Nigerian telecom operators recorded 118 network outage incidents in December 2025, with MTN Nigeria accounting for 64 cases, the highest among operators.
According to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Uptime portal, fibre damage, electricity outages, bushfires, and vandalism were the primary causes of service disruptions.
Infrastructure Attacks Continue Despite CNII Protection
Although telecom infrastructure, such as towers, fibre routes, base stations, and data centres are classified as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII), attacks on these assets remain frequent.
Toriola disclosed that 211 MTN sites were affected by theft and vandalism between January 1 and November 30, 2025, citing criminal activity and resistance from some host communities as key contributors.
“Some of these service gaps were driven by real operational issues like fibre cuts, theft, and vandalism,” he said, adding that customers directly feel the effects of these disruptions.
Customer Complaints Cross 1.6 Million
Service interruptions during the year resulted in 1,624,263 customer complaints, lodged through phone calls, social media channels, emails, and physical service centres.
While acknowledging the volume of complaints, Toriola said the company addressed all reported cases and remains accountable for improving the quality of customer experience.
“We are not where we want to be yet, but our focus on the customer remains unwavering,” he stated.
MTN Returns to Profitability and Dividend Payments
Despite operational headwinds, MTN Nigeria delivered a strong financial recovery in 2025, posting ₦142.7 billion in retained earnings and ₦293.1 billion in shareholders’ equity, reversing prior losses.
The improved financial position prompted the Board to approve an interim dividend of ₦5.00 per share, signalling renewed confidence after several years without dividend payments.
Resilience Amid Operational Challenges
The performance reflects MTN Nigeria’s ability to rebound from significant losses to profitability within a year, supported by data revenue growth, tighter cost controls, and favourable macroeconomic conditions.
While infrastructure security and network resilience remain pressing issues, the company says it will continue investing in asset protection and service improvements to enhance customer satisfaction.
