MTN Nigeria has attributed recent network service disruptions experienced by subscribers across the country to a combination of technical, environmental, and infrastructural challenges linked to its operating environment.
Tobe Okigbo, Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer of MTN Nigeria, made the explanation while speaking with journalists during an “Ask Me Anything” session in Lagos.
MTN Cites Infrastructure Challenges for Weak Network Quality
He said poor service quality on mobile networks could result from several factors, including weather conditions, rising data usage, and congestion on existing infrastructure.
Okigbo said: “There are a lot of things that can make the network bad. And it gets as simple as ordinary rainfall, because it’s a mobile network. In Nigeria and most of Africa, the way our networks are designed is to substitute for everything: your mobile phone, your landline, your internet access, and everything in communication. So the more you use it, the more bandwidth you consume, the more congestion you have.”
He explained that network congestion occurs when many users simultaneously access the network, stressing that operators are often required to expand capacity by adding more radio equipment at cell sites or, in severe cases, building new base stations.
According to him, increasing demand for data services has placed pressure on existing infrastructure despite recent tariff adjustments in the sector, TechPoint reports.
Okigbo noted that while many consumers expect tariff increases to immediately translate into improved service, telecom investments typically take time to materialise.
He said: “There is nobody that has base stations on the shelf; if you order from the manufacturer, it takes time to come in, go through customs, and then you find the site where you will deploy it.”
He also stressed that network operators do not benefit from poor service, adding that they incur continuous operational costs regardless of service quality.
Okigbo said: “If the network is up and radiating and nobody is using it, we are losing money. If the quality is bad, we are losing money. So it’s to our benefit for the quality to be good.”
Poor Service Not Intentional, MTN Clarifies
On infrastructure challenges, Okigbo highlighted the impact of fibre cuts and vandalism on nationwide service quality, noting that disruptions in one location can affect connectivity in other parts of the country.
He explained that fibre damage in one state could affect network performance in another, adding that operators often face repeated disruptions that require costly repairs or full cable replacements.
Okigbo also pointed to difficulties in securing and maintaining base station sites, citing high rental costs and frequent lease disputes with landlords as additional operational challenges. He said: “It’s a constant battle… you will notice periods of good quality, then quality starts to go bad, then it comes back up in between investments.”
MTN Announces Airtime Compensation for 3 Months
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that MTN Nigeria has announced plans to compensate subscribers affected by poor network quality with airtime credits, following a directive from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
While the company did not specify when the compensation would commence, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Aminu Maida, said at a media briefing that affected subscribers would begin receiving the compensation.
The NCC also clarified that the compensation would be issued in the form of airtime due to poor service quality.
