MTN Nigeria’s network services experienced a significant slowdown on Thursday morning, coinciding with the start of nationwide protests against bad governance.
The disruption affected numerous MTN subscribers, who took to social media to express their frustration and speculate about the cause of the slowdown. Users on X (formerly Twitter) voiced their concerns, with many suggesting a possible link to the government’s efforts to manage communication during the protests.
@Sunnyjoflife tweeted, “All of a sudden, MTN Network is not working properly on the 1st of August. These people know what they’re doing. #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria #EndBadGovernanceProtest.”
Another user, @Opeolu_waa, reported similar issues, saying, “Suddenly, MTN’s network is bad on the day of the planned protest; you people know what you’re doing.”
Several other users, including @Oghenerie, @OkekeMakuo1851, and @Maxvayshia, shared their experiences of network problems, with some speculating that the issues might be targeted to manage the protest communications.
@Tarifubara noted that they had used the MTN network earlier in the day without issues, adding, “The problems might be targeted.”
MTN Nigeria has yet to comment on the issue, and efforts to reach the company’s official Twitter handle, @MTNNG, have so far been unsuccessful.
This network slowdown comes on the heels of a warning by human rights lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, who cautioned telecom companies against restricting internet access to stifle the demonstration. Adegboruwa emphasized that any such attempt would be seen as an infringement on citizens’ rights to free speech and assembly, urging the Nigerian Communications Commission to ensure uninterrupted internet access during the protests.
The #EndBadGovernance protest, scheduled to continue until August 10, is a response to the escalating economic hardship faced by Nigerians. Citizens are demanding government action to address issues such as high living costs, widespread hunger, soaring unemployment rates, and limited access to quality education.
