MTN Nigeria has announced that it will conduct a scheduled network maintenance exercise on Saturday, October 25, 2025, which will temporarily disrupt connectivity across parts of Adamawa, Borno, and Kano States.
According to the company, the two-hour maintenance window, set for 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m., will affect 101 network sites across 15 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the three northern states.
Fibre Upgrade to Boost Long-Term Reliability
In a statement, MTN explained that the exercise is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen its fibre infrastructure and enhance service reliability in northern Nigeria.
The work involves a fibre cutover on a newly relocated cable segment between AFCOT and Bawo Village, which will replace previously damaged spans and reduce the number of optical joints that have weakened network performance.
“MTN regrets any inconvenience this may cause and appreciates customers’ understanding,” the company said.
Areas to Experience Temporary Disruption
MTN listed the affected areas as follows:
- 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
During the maintenance window, 2G, 3G, 4G, and enterprise connections will be unavailable due to the linear and unprotected nature of the fibre route.
Part of Broader Restoration Effort
The company noted that this intervention builds on an earlier restoration exercise conducted in August 2025 along the same AFCOT–Bawo fibre route.
This next phase, it added, represents a comprehensive upgrade aimed at eliminating recurring faults and ensuring more stable connectivity for customers across the region.
Nigeria’s Fibre Cut Crisis
MTN’s maintenance comes amid a broader industry challenge of frequent fibre cuts that have led to service disruptions nationwide.
Earlier this year, multiple reports revealed that MTN and 9mobile suffered simultaneous fibre cuts in Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara, causing widespread network outages.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has described the situation as alarming. The Commission’s Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Aminu Maida, disclosed in August that telecom operators record an average of 1,100 fibre cuts every week.
To combat this, the NCC has adopted a multi-pronged strategy involving technical enforcement, public sensitisation, and collaboration with security agencies.
Telecom infrastructure has also been designated as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) under the Cybersecurity Act, placing added responsibility on operators, government bodies, and citizens to safeguard these assets.
