MTN’s 5,400 Fibre Cuts: How Nigeria’s Development Could Affect Its Connectivity

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A dropped call during a crucial business negotiation, a failed payment at a busy supermarket, or the inability to connect with a loved one miles away—these are the real-world consequences of a growing crisis, largely unseen, that is unfolding beneath Nigeria’s soil. MTN Nigeria, the nation’s largest telecommunications provider, is facing a significant issue, as indicated by the number 5,478.

According to Tech Cabal, between January and July 2025, the company endured a relentless siege of over 5,400 fibre optic cable cuts, plunging countless users into digital silence. The scale of this disruption is staggering, with July alone witnessing 760 incidents. The situation peaked in June, which saw an unprecedented 1,016 cuts, marking the most challenging month in the seven months.

This digital haemorrhage stems from a two-pronged assault: the deliberate malice of vandals and the unintended consequences of national development.

The human cost of sabotage became starkly apparent with a severe act of vandalism scheduled for repair on August 24. This single incident affected services at 101 different sites, affecting communities across 15 local government areas in the northern states of Kano, Adamawa, and Borno.

“This is just one of the many ripple effects of vandalism, forcing us to rebuild, reroute, and restore infrastructure to maintain a stable and reliable network,” MTN explained in a newsletter on Saturday, offering an apology to its frustrated customers.

Despite the looming threat of vandalism, progress itself poses the most significant threat. Road construction, a symbol of Nigeria’s push to close its infrastructure gap, accounts for over 60% of all fibre cuts. As states eagerly expand their road networks, the heavy machinery often tears through the buried cables that form the backbone of the nation’s connectivity.

In Niger State, for instance, Governor Umaru Bago’s administration is undertaking an ambitious project to construct over 556 km of new roads, part of a four-year plan to deliver more than 2,000 km at a cost exceeding ₦1.2 trillion. The state government acknowledges the collateral damage to digital infrastructure but views it as an unavoidable reality of development.

“There is nothing we can do about it, because our governor has embarked on these massive road construction projects,” stated Suleiman Isah, Niger State’s Commissioner for Communications Technology and Digital Economy. As a workaround, he noted, “Rather than digging the ground to lay fibre, we are providing our power lines for operators to use aerial technology.”

The problem extends far beyond a single operator, reaching a scale that has triggered alarms at the highest levels of the regulatory body. On August 15, 2025, Dr. Aminu Maida, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), revealed that the entire industry suffers an average of 1,100 fibre cuts every single week.

He emphasised that while these vital assets are protected under the Critical National Infrastructure (CNII) designation, the commission’s strategy leans towards dialogue and prevention rather than punitive action.

“The NCC views enforcement as a measure of last resort, one to be deployed only when all engagement and mediation avenues have been exhausted,” Dr. Maida explained. “And when we do enforce, it is with the backing and cooperation of relevant security, legal, and oversight institutions. Our goal is not to penalise but to preserve the integrity and continuity of national communications systems.”

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The persistent issue of fibre optic cable cuts has a direct and detrimental impact on Nigeria’s—and by extension, Africa’s- tourism and travel sector. In today’s hyperconnected world, reliable internet and communication are not luxuries for travellers; they are essential utilities. 

Tourists and business travellers rely heavily on digital services. Frequent network disruptions create an image of unreliability and inefficiency. A traveller unable to use GPS for navigation, feeling vulnerable and frustrated, struggles to make a mobile payment, book a ride-hailing service, or contact their hotel. This negative experience quickly spreads through reviews and word-of-mouth, deterring potential visitors.

Nigeria, as a major economic hub in Africa, attracts significant business travel. These travellers rely on stable connectivity for video conferences, cloud access, and constant communication. Unreliable networks cripple productivity, which can jeopardise business deals. This unreliability discourages international companies from hosting conferences, summits, and corporate retreats in the country, leading to a loss of significant revenue in the hospitality sector.

For tourists exploring a new country, a mobile phone is a lifeline. In an emergency, the inability to make a call or share a location due to a network outage can have severe consequences. This perception of risk can be a powerful deterrent for solo travellers, families, and tour operators planning their itineraries in affected regions.

Digital nomads increasingly view Africa as a destination. These individuals require flawless internet connectivity to work. Widespread and unpredictable outages make Nigeria a non-viable option for this growing and lucrative tourism segment, pushing them towards more digitally stable African countries like Kenya, South Africa, or Rwanda.

The tourism ecosystem itself, hotels, tour operators, airlines, and local vendors, relies on the internet for bookings, payment processing, and logistics. Network downtime means lost bookings, failed transactions, and an inability to manage operations effectively, ultimately degrading the quality of service offered to tourists.

In a broader African context, Nigeria’s challenges highlight a continent-wide issue where the rapid pace of physical infrastructure development often outstrips the coordination needed to protect existing digital infrastructure. For Africa to successfully market itself as a modern, accessible, and safe destination, ensuring the integrity of its digital backbone is as crucial as building new roads and airports.

 

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FAQs

1. What are the main reasons for the frequent MTN network disruptions in Nigeria?

 The primary cause is damage to fibre optic cables. Over 60% of the damage is unintentionally caused by ongoing road construction projects across the country, while the rest is due to increasing acts of vandalism and sabotage.

2. How serious is the problem of fibre cuts in Nigeria?

It is severe. MTN alone experienced over 5,400 cuts between January and July 2025. The national regulator, the NCC, reports that across all operators, there are an average of 1,100 fibre cuts per week, indicating a widespread national issue.

3. Why is road construction causing so many problems for the internet?

Many states are rapidly expanding their road networks to improve infrastructure. During excavation and construction, heavy machinery often digs up or severs the previously laid underground fibre optic cables, leading to immediate network outages in the affected areas.

4. What are the authorities doing to solve this problem?

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has designated telecom infrastructure as Critical National Infrastructure. However, their primary approach is to collaborate with construction companies and state governments to raise awareness and prevent damage, using legal enforcement only as a last resort. Some state governments, like Niger State, are suggesting alternative solutions, like using power lines for aerial fibre deployment.

5. How do these fibre cuts affect average people?

For an average person, these cuts lead to dropped calls, slow or non-existent internet service, failed online payments (POS), inability to use navigation apps like Google Maps, and difficulty accessing online services. This disrupts daily life and business activities and poses safety risks during emergencies.