#EndBadGovernanceInNigeria: MTN Network slows as nationwide protest begins

On Thursday morning, MTN Nigeria‘s network services faced a significant slowdown, which coincided with the start of nationwide protests against poor governance.

This disruption impacted a large number of MTN subscribers, who took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice their frustrations and speculate on the reasons behind the network issues.

As of now, MTN has not provided any official statement regarding the situation. The timing of this slowdown has led many users to wonder if it is connected to government attempts to control communication during the protests.

One user, @Sunnyjoflife, tweeted, Suddenly, MTN Network isn’t functioning well on August 1st. They know exactly what they’re doing. #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria #EndBadGovernanceProtest.

@Opeolu_waa also reported issues, saying, “Suddenly, MTN’s network is bad on the day of the planned protest; you people know what you’re doing.”

Other users, including @Oghenerie, @OkekeMakuo1851, and @Maxvayshia, shared similar experiences, with some speculating that the network issues might be related to the government’s efforts to manage communication during the protests.

@Tarifubara noted that they had used the MTN network earlier in the day without issues, suggesting that the problems might be targeted.

@MTNNG, the official Twitter handle of MTN Nigeria, was tagged in several of the tweets, with users calling for a swift resolution to the network issues.

On Sunday, human rights attorney Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa issued a warning to telecommunications companies regarding any efforts to suppress the forthcoming demonstration against economic difficulties by restricting internet access for Nigerians.

He emphasized that such actions would be viewed as violations of citizens’ rights to freedom of expression and assembly.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria called on the Nigerian Communications Commission to guarantee that internet access remains uninterrupted throughout the #EndBadGovernance protest, which is set to run until August 10.

This protest arises from the growing economic struggles faced by citizens, who are grappling with rising living costs, widespread hunger, high unemployment rates, and inadequate educational opportunities, among other urgent issues.