The Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer at MTN Nigeria, Chief Tobe Okigbo has clarified that some of the network service interruptions experienced by Nigerians are a result of MTN’s operations within a challenging environment.
He made this remark while responding to inquiries from journalists during an Ask Me Anything session held in Lagos. Tobe disclosed that inadequate service on a mobile network can stem from either technical or environmental issues.
”Numerous factors can contribute to poor network performance,” Tobe states, “and it can be as straightforward as regular rainfall, given that it is a mobile network. In Nigeria and much of Africa, our network designs are intended to serve multiple purposes: your network acts as your mobile phone, your landline, your internet access, and all forms of communication. Therefore, the more you utilize it, the greater the bandwidth consumption, leading to increased congestion.”
In 2025, MTN and other mobile network providers raised their tariffs by 50%. Nevertheless, many Nigerians remain dissatisfied as they continue to endure subpar service quality, with reports indicating that a class-action lawsuit has been initiated against the telecommunications company.
Network congestion arises when numerous users connect to the network simultaneously, which adversely impacts service quality. The MTN Chief elaborated that in such cases, the telecom operator must augment the number of radios at the cell site to enhance its carrying capacity. If congestion persists, the construction of a new base station becomes necessary.
Many Nigerians anticipated that the tariff increase would provide mobile network operators like MTN with additional funds to invest in their networks, thereby ensuring improved service quality.
Concerning network investments, Tobe remarked that there is typically a delay between the time an investment is made and when it yields returns. He explained that companies like ZTE and Huawei only produce equipment upon request.
”When individuals express dissatisfaction with service quality, they often assume that poor quality indicates the network is somehow improving; no one despises poor quality more than the networks themselves.
He stated that regardless of whether the network quality is subpar, the company’s operational expenses remain unchanged, as it must continue to operate generators to supply power to its base stations nationwide.
”If the network is operational and transmitting but no one is utilizing it, we incur losses. If the quality is inadequate, we are also losing money. Therefore, it is in our best interest to ensure that the quality remains high.”
Why Nigerians Are Experiencing Poor Network Service – MTN Chief
