Nigeria’s telecommunications industry is reeling from a wave of disruptions, with 33 major network outages recorded in May 2025 alone. These outages, as reported by Uptime—the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) major outage monitoring portal—were driven primarily by rampant vandalism, frequent fibre-optic cable cuts, and persistent electricity shortages.
The telecom sector outages, which affected all four major mobile network operators—MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile—resulted in widespread service degradation. Millions of subscribers across Nigeria were impacted by dropped calls, poor internet access, and intermittent connectivity.
Globacom, Nigeria’s third-largest telecom operator, recorded the highest number of outages in May with 13 separate incidents. The disruptions were attributed to severe fibre cuts and power supply challenges across key states including Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, and the Federal Capital Territory.
9mobile followed with 11 reported outages, largely linked to technical faults and power-related issues that crippled its network in multiple locations. MTN, the country’s largest telecom operator, reported five incidents tied to fibre damage in Benue, Imo, and Akwa Ibom States, while Airtel recorded four outages caused by vandalism and electricity failures in Abia and Bayelsa.
The economic impact of these disruptions is staggering. According to a previous Bloomberg report, Nigeria’s telecom sector lost an estimated N27 billion in 2023 due to network repair costs and revenue losses arising from damaged fibre infrastructure. With 33 network outages already recorded in May 2025, industry analysts warn that this year’s losses could exceed previous years if urgent action is not taken.
Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, earlier disclosed that over 50,000 fibre cuts were recorded in 2024 alone, with 30,000 linked to uncoordinated road construction by federal and state agencies. Lagos State alone accounted for over 2,500 fibre cuts in 2023, resulting in service outages and financial losses amounting to nearly N5 billion for operators.
Telecom companies are increasingly voicing their frustrations over the lack of infrastructure protection. MTN Nigeria’s Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer, Tobechukwu Okigbo, during a stakeholder meeting in Lagos, stressed that outages not only affect end users but also severely diminish operator revenue and reliability.
“Every outage caused by fibre cuts, power shortages, or vandalism imposes massive recovery costs. These are not just service issues—they are economic disruptions,” Okigbo stated.
Jude Ighomena, Senior Manager at Broadbased Communications, echoed this view during the Policy Implementation Assisted Forum in Lagos. He noted that frequent service disruptions have become a national crisis requiring regulatory overhaul.
In a move to safeguard critical infrastructure, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on June 24, 2024, signed an Executive Order titled the Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure Order. This legal instrument formally classifies telecom and digital infrastructure as critical national assets, mandating enhanced protection and regulatory oversight.
Despite this order, telecom operators are urging for more practical measures, including the establishment of a Fibre Protection Framework. Such a framework, they argue, would enable real-time monitoring of fibre networks, centralise regulation of construction activities, and introduce penalties for contractors or individuals responsible for damaging telecom infrastructure.
With the rainy season expected to intensify infrastructure vulnerabilities, telecom operators are bracing for potentially more outages in the coming months. The industry is pushing for urgent collaborations between federal and state governments, law enforcement agencies, and private contractors to establish a secure operational environment.
Experts argue that beyond the economic losses, frequent network outages also threaten Nigeria’s digital economy ambitions, financial inclusion, and e-governance initiatives. As Nigeria continues to digitize its economy, uninterrupted telecom service has become a non-negotiable necessity.
For subscribers and businesses alike, the hope remains that swift regulatory actions and stronger infrastructure protection will stabilise the nation’s increasingly fragile telecom network.