Amanze Chinonye
Thousands of subscribers of MTN Uganda were left stranded on Sunday after a prolonged system outage disrupted voice calls, mobile data and Mobile Money (MoMo) services across the country, crippling communications and financial transactions for several hours, Prime Business Africa reports.
The disruption, which began on Sunday afternoon, has lasted for more than eight hours, leaving customers unable to make calls, access the internet or complete transactions through the telecom operator’s widely used MoMo platform. The outage triggered widespread complaints on social media, with individuals and businesses reporting significant disruptions to their daily activities.
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In a statement to customers, MTN Uganda attributed the outage to a major power failure at one of its data centres.
“Following a major power outage at one of our data centres earlier today, a segment of our customers experienced disruptions to voice, data and MoMo services,” the company said.
It added that restoration efforts were underway, with technical teams working to restore all affected services as quickly as possible.
“Service restoration is underway, and our technical teams are working to restore all affected services as quickly as possible. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience and understanding,” the statement added.
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The outage coincided with a separate disruption affecting Stanbic Bank Uganda’s digital platforms, including internet banking, mobile banking, ATMs and point-of-sale terminals. The simultaneous incidents fuelled speculation on social media about a possible cyberattack.
However, neither MTN Uganda nor Stanbic Bank attributed the disruptions to a security breach.
The prolonged outage underscores Uganda’s growing dependence on digital infrastructure, particularly mobile connectivity and mobile money services, which millions rely on daily for communication, business transactions and access to financial services.
For many individuals and small businesses, the disruption effectively halted payments, delayed commercial activities and limited access to essential services, highlighting the far-reaching economic impact that infrastructure failures can have in an increasingly digital economy.
As of the latest update, MTN Uganda said service restoration was ongoing but did not provide a timeline for full restoration of all affected services.
Amanze Chinonye is a Staff Correspondent at Prime Business Africa, a rising star in the literary world, weaving captivating stories that transport readers to the vibrant landscapes of Nigeria and the rest of Africa. With a unique voice that blends with the newspaper's tradition and style, Chinonye's writing is a masterful exploration of the human condition, delving into themes of identity, culture, and social justice. Through her words, Chinonye paints vivid portraits of everyday African life, from the bustling markets of Nigeria's Lagos to the quiet villages of South Africa's countryside . With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the complexities of Nigerian society, Chinonye's writing is both a testament to the country's rich cultural heritage and a powerful call to action for a brighter future. As a writer, Chinonye is a true storyteller, using her dexterity to educate, inspire, and uplift readers around the world.
