Telecoms giant MTN Nigeria has confirmed it is experiencing network disruptions affecting customers in parts of Lagos State.
In a message sent to subscribers on Sunday evening, the company said:
“Dear Customer, we’re experiencing network challenges in some parts of Lagos State, and our services may be temporarily unavailable as a result.
Our engineers are working to restore services as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience and understanding.”
Backdrop of complaints
The message followed hours of mounting complaints across social media platforms, where many users reported being unable to make calls, access data, or complete transactions dependent on MTN’s connectivity.
- Frustrations trended on X (formerly Twitter), with some subscribers tagging the company to demand urgent updates.
- Connectivity complaints have become increasingly common in Nigeria, where poor infrastructure, vandalism, and rising energy costs often disrupt telecom services.
Lagos, as the country’s commercial hub, is particularly sensitive to such outages given the heavy reliance of businesses and individuals on mobile data and voice services.
MTN largest subscriber
MTN is the largest telecom operator in Nigeria, with over 80 million subscribers, representing about 38% of the market share.
While the company has invested heavily in network expansion and 5G rollouts, service interruptions still occur, often attributed to fiber cuts, power supply disruptions, or technical glitches.
- Telecom operators, under the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), have repeatedly called for tariff reviews to help them cope with inflation, rising diesel prices, and network congestion.
- Earlier this year, tariffs were indeed adjusted upwards following regulatory approval, a move the telcos argued was necessary to sustain operations and improve service delivery.
- However, despite the upward tariff review, Nigerians continue to experience frequent service disruptions across the country, raising concerns that higher charges have not translated into an improved quality of service.
What happens next: MTN says its engineers are already working to restore services, though no timeline has been provided for full resolution.