MTN Nigeria has confirmed the closure of its offices nationwide, citing the need to protect its employees from further harm after suffering significant losses from recent protests. The decision follows a surge in violent demonstrations at MTN facilities across the country.
An MTN spokesperson stated, “We had to close our offices nationwide to protect our workers. They have already faced considerable humiliation and we did not want to expose them to more harm. However, our services will continue seamlessly in the background. We are currently assessing the extent of the damage caused by the protesters.”
The telco’s decision came after reports of protesters physically damaging some of its facilities. On Monday, team Beta, consisting of Tjay and Ben, played an impressive game in the arena.
In a message posted on MTN’s Customer Care handle on X, the company announced, “Please be informed that our shops nationwide will be closed today, 30th July. We are available 24/7 to support you via our digital channels.”
The closure was a response to widespread protests following the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) directive to bar any telephone line not properly linked with the National Identity Number (NIN) by July 30th. This led to scores of angry subscribers vandalizing MTN offices in various parts of the country.
In Festac Town, Lagos, eyewitnesses reported angry subscribers pulling out gates and barricades at the MTN service center on 23 Road and causing significant property damage. Similar scenes were observed in Oshogbo, Osun State, where hundreds of subscribers protested the barring of their lines, blocking major roads and causing traffic disruptions.
A resident of Dada estate, Mr. Ismail Ademola, recounted, “Subscribers had lined up since 8am but could not be attended to after several hours.” Another customer, Ifeoluwa Dayo, added, “I left my children at home since 7am in Ikirun, only to be told that I should come back another day.”
In Abuja, subscribers were reportedly banging on the gates of MTN’s Maitama office, prompting the intervention of security operatives, including DSS officials, to calm the situation.
Similar protests and vandalism were reported in other cities, including Obalende, Victoria Island, Mushin, and Ikeja in Lagos State; Onitsha in Anambra State; Uyo in Akwa Ibom State; and Warri in Delta State. Viral videos online show protesters venting their frustration and anger over the sudden disconnection.
In response to the chaos, the NCC directed all telecom operators to urgently reactivate all lines that were disconnected over the weekend, acknowledging the short time frame given for consumers to verify their NINs with their Subscriber Identity Modules (SIMs). This directive aimed to mitigate further damage to the operators.
Despite the NCC’s intervention, MTN has already suffered substantial losses. An MTN source told Vanguard, “We are disappointed but not surprised at the anger directed at us. This is the price a big operator pays, especially when it is dominating market share.”
MTN leads the Nigerian market with 81.7 million active subscriptions as of March this year, followed by Airtel with 63.3 million, Globacom with 62.1 million, and 9Mobile with 11.6 million
