MTN announces network outage in Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi, cuts borrowing ceiling to NGN5,000

MTN Nigeria has announced a network outage affecting parts of Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi states. The telecom company said services may be temporarily unavailable in some areas while its engineers work on the challenges.

Network disruption hits three states

MTN disclosed the disruption in a network outage alert sent to customers. It said the network problems could affect services in parts of the three states and apologised for the inconvenience caused.

The notice from MTN reads: “Network Outage Alert! We're experiencing network challenges in some parts of Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi states and our services may be temporarily unavailable as a result. Our engineers are working to restore services as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience and understanding.”

Fibre cuts and other infrastructure-related incidents have become a major concern for telecom operators, often resulting in disruptions to voice, data and other communication services. Operators have repeatedly called for improved protection of critical telecommunications infrastructure to reduce the frequency and impact of network outages.

MTN reduces borrowing limit to NGN5,000

In a separate development, MTN Nigeria has slashed the maximum amount subscribers can borrow for airtime and data in half. The ceiling has been reduced from NGN10,000 to NGN5,000.

The telecom giant restored the borrowing service after it had been suspended for weeks following a court order. MTN officials confirmed the new limit, stating that the service is now active again through the same code subscribers have always used.

MTN said: “Please be informed that the service is back with the same code *303#. The maximum credit limit has been revised from NGN10,000 to NGN5,000.”

Beyond the lower credit ceiling, MTN has introduced a condition requiring subscribers to fully repay any existing airtime or data loan before they can qualify for another advance. The rule is aimed at enforcing responsible borrowing.

NCC orders compensation for long outages

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had earlier directed telecom operators to compensate customers affected by major network outages lasting more than 24 hours. The directive covers mobile network operators, internet service providers and other companies providing last-mile telecommunications services across the country.

According to the regulator, the measure is aimed at improving service quality, strengthening transparency and ensuring that consumers receive adequate protection.

For affected MTN subscribers in Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi, services are expected to return to normal once engineers resolve the network challenges. The lower borrowing cap also means subscribers now have less airtime and data credit to fall back on, while the NCC rule gives consumers a clearer basis for claims after prolonged network failures.