Subscribers lament hours of disrupted mobile service

By Islamiyyah Adekanbi

Subscribers in Lagos have lamented hours of disrupted mobile service, saying the outage affected their studies, businesses and communication with family and friends.
The disruption, which was reported in Lagos, Oyo, Rivers, Delta and the Federal Capital Territory, left some users unable to access mobile data and other network services. Several subscribers said they relied on friends’ and relatives’ hotspots or alternative networks to get online.
Kafayat Kokumo, a Mass Communication student, said the outage began as she was trying to send a WhatsApp message while working on a research assignment due in less than 30 minutes.
She said switching on airplane mode did not restore her connection, so she eventually used a friend’s hotspot. The experience left her anxious about meeting her deadline.
Kokumo said service returned after about an hour. She called for more reliable mobile service, noting that disruptions could affect people’s daily activities.
Memunat Olayemi Omidiya, a student and online store manager in Abulegba, said she was unable to respond to customers after her data subscription expired and she could not buy another one.
She eventually used her mother’s hotspot. Omidiya said she noticed the disruption around 5 p.m. and it continued until she went to bed after 11 p.m. She called for steps to prevent similar outages.
Digital marketer, Joel Okikioluwa also said he had difficulty accessing the internet. He said he was debited after purchasing data but had not received a refund by the time of the interview. He described the experience as horrible and called for network improvement.
Abdur-Rahman Awesu, a student in Lagos, said the disruption cut off his mobile data for about six hours, affecting his communication with friends and family. He relied on an alternative network and called for stronger infrastructure and backup systems, as well as timely updates to subscribers during outages.
Covenant Amaechi, a student living around First Gate, Ikorodu, said he could not communicate when he needed to. Although service returned, he said the connection remained intermittent at times. He also called for better customer care.
Another student, AbdulQayum Jakande, who lives in Surulere, said he lost access to mobile data for more than four hours. He called for stronger network servers.
The subscribers’ accounts highlight the role of reliable mobile service in education, communication and online businesses. They called for improved network reliability and measures to minimise future disruptions.