Residents of Maiduguri, Borno State, are growing increasingly concerned over repeated disruptions to MTN network services following another outage on Saturday, October 31, 2026. The latest disruption, which lasted from approximately 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., marks the third reported MTN network interruption in the city within October. This has raised concerns among residents, business operators, and families who depend on the telecommunications network for daily communication, financial transactions, and other essential activities.
The latest disruption was particularly inconvenient because Saturday is traditionally one of the busiest days for wedding ceremonies in Maiduguri. Families, friends, and guests rely heavily on telephone calls to communicate, locate wedding venues, and coordinate movements between marriage homes and event locations. The three-hour network interruption affected several aspects of daily life, including wedding arrangements, business operations, and family communication.
People traveling to wedding venues experienced difficulties reaching organizers and obtaining directions, while families struggled to coordinate activities. Business owners who depend on MTN for customer communication, mobile banking, transfers, and online transactions were also affected. The situation was particularly challenging for subscribers whose mobile phones have only MTN SIM cards, leaving them without an alternative network during the outage.
The latest incident follows two previous major disruptions reported in Maiduguri this month. On October 18, MTN services became unavailable around 5:30 a.m. and were restored at approximately 11:00 a.m. On October 22, another disruption was reported at about 6:00 p.m. The Nigerian Communications Commission linked the October 18 outage to a fibre cut in Borno State affecting Jere, Kaga, Konduga, and Maiduguri, impacting USSD, SMS, voice, and data services.
The repeated interruptions have raised questions about the reliability of telecommunications services in Maiduguri and the need for lasting solutions to network infrastructure problems. Residents are calling on MTN Nigeria to explain the recurring disruptions, improve network reliability, and communicate promptly with subscribers during service interruptions. They also expect the Nigerian Communications Commission to monitor service quality and ensure that telecommunications operators meet their obligations to customers.
The NCC has recently directed operators to compensate subscribers affected by prolonged or recurring service disruptions, with MTN Nigeria beginning credits for eligible customers in October. Residents maintain that reliable communication is essential for businesses, family relationships, social activities, and economic transactions, and that the people of Maiduguri deserve reliable telecommunications services.
MTN Nigeria had earlier announced a planned maintenance exercise for Saturday, October 31, between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., saying customers in Jere, Kaga, Konduga, and Maiduguri Local Government Areas may experience temporary interruptions to voice, data, SMS, and other network-dependent services. However, the actual disruption lasted longer than expected, exacerbating the concerns of residents and business operators.
Key points
- The disruption is the third reported MTN network interruption in Maiduguri within October.
- The Nigerian Communications Commission has directed operators to compensate subscribers affected by prolonged or recurring service disruptions.
- Residents are calling for MTN Nigeria to improve network reliability and communicate promptly with subscribers during service interruptions.
