As of December 2023, MTN, Nigeria’s leading Mobile Network Operator (MNO), boasted a staggering 87,038,768 subscribers, commanding an impressive 38.79% market share, according to data released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
However, despite its dominance in the telecommunications sector, MTN recently faced a significant challenge that disrupted services for millions of its subscribers.
On a fateful Wednesday,February 28, 2024, the vast network of 87 million MTN subscribers encountered unprecedented difficulties in making and receiving calls, sparking widespread speculation and concern.
Rumors circulated that the outage was a consequence of the NCC’s ultimatum to telecom companies, mandating the disconnection of subscribers who had not linked their phone numbers to their National Identification Numbers (NIN) by the looming deadline of February 28, 2024.
Amidst the chaos, numerous subscribers found themselves stranded, seeking clarity and reassurance by visiting MTN offices closest to them in search of explanations for the sudden disruption in services.
In response to mounting inquiries and complaints, MTN took to X (formerly Twitter) to address the situation, citing “multiple fibre cuts” as the underlying cause of the service outage.
In a post that sought to assuage concerns, MTN assured subscribers that its team of engineers was diligently working to rectify the issue, with services gradually being restored in some regions.
The post read: “You have been experiencing challenges connecting to the network due to a major service outage caused by multiple fibre cuts affecting voice and data services.
Our engineers are working hard to resolve [the issue] with services gradually being restored in some areas.
We apologize for the inconvenience and ask for your patience and understanding as the team works to restore full service as soon as possible.”
Despite MTN’s efforts to mitigate the disruption and keep subscribers informed, frustration persisted among affected users, underscoring the critical importance of reliable telecommunications services in modern society.
Meanwhile, against the backdrop of the service outage, the NCC issued a stern directive on the same Wednesday, instructing telecom service providers to implement the disconnection of subscribers who had failed to link their phone numbers to their NIN by the looming deadline.
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Aminu Maida, emphasized the imperative of linking NIN to SIM cards, citing national security concerns as the primary driver behind the directive.
This directive reinforced the urgency for subscribers to comply with regulatory requirements while navigating the disruptions caused by the ongoing service outage.
As both MTN and subscribers grappled with the fallout from the outage and the impending deadline for NIN-SIM linkage, the incident served as a stark reminder of the intricate interplay between technology, regulation, and consumer convenience in Nigeria’s dynamic telecommunications landscape.
