₦airaland Forum

MTN Finally Speaks on Why Nigerians Are Suffering Terrible Network Problems

After months of frustration from millions of Nigerians over poor calls, disappearing data, failed transfers, and unstable internet, MTN Nigeria has finally explained why network services have become so bad across the country.

Speaking during an “Ask Me Anything” session in Lagos, MTN Nigeria’s Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer, Tobechukwu Okigbo, admitted that the telecom giant is battling massive operational and infrastructure challenges in Nigeria.

According to him, many Nigerians do not realize how fragile telecom infrastructure can be.

“Sometimes ordinary rainfall can affect network quality,” he explained, noting that Nigerian telecom networks carry almost everything today including phone calls, internet access, banking transactions, streaming, and business communication.

As more people flood the network daily, congestion increases and service quality drops.

This explanation is coming at a sensitive time because Nigerians are still angry over the 50% tariff increase introduced by telecom operators in 2025. Many users expected that higher prices would automatically mean better service quality.

Instead, complaints have only increased.

MTN says the problem is not as simple as many people think.

The company revealed that network expansion is expensive and slow. Equipment must first be ordered from manufacturers like Huawei and ZTE, imported into Nigeria, cleared through customs, and then installed after securing suitable sites for base stations.

Shockingly, MTN disclosed that the company experiences between 27 and 45 fibre cable cuts DAILY across Nigeria due to vandalism, construction damage, and infrastructure destruction.

Even more surprising, a fibre cut in Kogi can reportedly affect network quality in Abuja, while a shutdown in Ogun State can impact users in Lagos.

The company also accused some landlords of exploiting telecom operators with outrageous rent demands after signing initial lease agreements. In some cases, landlords allegedly shut down telecom installations during disputes, worsening network outages for entire communities.

Perhaps the most controversial statement came when Okigbo said:

“No one hates poor network quality more than telecom operators.”

According to him, MTN loses money whenever customers cannot properly use the network because generators still have to run continuously to power thousands of base stations nationwide.

The company revealed that it spent over ₦800 billion in 2023 alone just to keep its network operational despite inflation, diesel costs, vandalism, and infrastructure maintenance challenges.

MTN also praised President Bola Tinubu’s administration for officially recognizing telecom infrastructure as Critical National Infrastructure, something operators had reportedly pushed for unsuccessfully for years.

Still, many Nigerians remain unconvinced.

Across social media, users continue to complain about:
• dropped calls
• disappearing data
• unstable 4G and 5G connections
• slow internet speeds
• poor customer experience despite rising tariffs

Some subscribers are even supporting calls for stronger NCC sanctions and customer compensation against telecom operators.

One thing is now clear:
Nigeria’s telecom sector is under serious pressure, and unless infrastructure challenges, vandalism, energy costs, and network investments improve significantly, Nigerians may continue experiencing frustrating network problems for a long time.

Source: https://techpoint.africa/insight/mtn-chief-explains-poor-network/

But una dey make una money on a steady abi, if not for this unserious govt that can't stand for the rights of her citizens









Rubbish and mtn

Ok, MR Blogger Is Following The Update

Rubbish as ever...



Trash


Nonsensical...

Hahahahaa

Las las, you want to increase tarrif.

Despite price rises service quality across board in Nigeria continues to decline. The bad state of the economy is the denominator
HSE effect at work.

Just chocho, what's the way out

Because they're Nigerians.

Dpsychologist:
Source: https://techpoint.africa/insight/mtn-chief-explains-poor-network/

Lies and Rubbish...

6 more characters needed

Nonsense talk, is it only in Nigeria that rain falls, is Nigeria the only country that faces all the challenges he stated? Other countries faces those challenges too but overcomes them still their tarrif is very cheap

But to load Airtime where you make your money is not stretched.

To buy Data you can't use will sail through without any issues.

To tell people their Data expired and locking the Data away from use will never be an issue for una?

Make una continue

Lies. As expected.

I noticed the problem started the moment they started carrying the entire scale of 9mobile's data and calls (AIS).

Adding that weight to an infrastructure that was not fully balanced will undermine efficiency.
They are richer now and cashed-out more money from the contract, but Nigerians are paying for it.

All those aforementioned factors are not reasonable in a clime where things work.

Noted.

Everyone knows the problem but the solution been offered still never worked.

All these network providers are weapons fashioned against mankind. All they do is strategies to drain your finances, leading people into distress...

20gb finished in one hour. They told me that it's my data usage. I was laughing at the guy whose 150gb finished in four days not knowing that mine was around the corner.

If Glo and Airtel can just be serious

Typical black man. Excuses!

No consequences and low competition is the cause of bad network

Poor network and using straw to suck data

Liars. You added Etisalat loads on your networks and also, uncontrolled increase in diesel price, there by shutting down many masts during power failure, rationalising real time services contributed alot to your failure.

Everyone dragging MTN when Airtel is also terrible and glo is nowhere to be found.

NinjaMetahuman:
Everyone dragging MTN when Airtel is also terrible and glo is nowhere to be found.

This shows you MTN is more widely used. If their services become extremely poor like others then we all are in a mess. So, leave consumers alone to complain.

okrikaboi:
20gb finished in one hour. They told me that it's my data usage. I was laughing at the guy whose 150gb finished in four days not knowing that mine was around the corner.

I do have leftover data to be rollover to the next month, but the data barely last me for 3wks now. Yet, I'm using same phone

LIES FROM THE PIT OF HELL

MTN POOR NETWORK STARTED HAPPENING AFTER THEY RENTED PART OF THEIR NETWORK TO 9MOBILE NOW T2 ABI NA TUTU

Dpsychologist:
Source: https://techpoint.africa/insight/mtn-chief-explains-poor-network/

Na wa. This one na long thing. Are they preparing us for price increase. I'm just wondering.... I did not say they are.

What is happening to MTN? MTN data is like vapour and mist nowadays- It disappears quickly. Lebara Mobile should be a good option but I don't know if Lebara is fully operating in Nigeria as I type .

I sin change network tire! Glo no even show service on Android phone but showing on small phone.

For few days I was thinking maybe was a spirit in my room that made sure there was no network on my 2 MTN sim. I think I know what caused that now.

They've started again... That's how they'll be giving reason until a better competitor comes up, then somehow you'll see their network surprisingly start getting better

SAme way they gave reasons why simcard can't be sold cheap until GLO came in, and price of sin card mysteriously dropped

Na lack of good competitors dey make them misbehave

There is no absolute reason for this behavior, but I won’t blame MTN at all cause our so called leaders are the ones responsible for this cause they’re being bribe to suffer the masses

So Tobe Okigbo has left Airtel for MTN.

That guy don make money ooo