Fibre Damage Disrupts Mobile Networks Across Northern Ghana
Three fibre cuts on 26 September 2026 degraded or knocked out 1,215 mobile sites in northern Ghana and the Oti Region. The affected routes were run by MTN, Telecel and the state IT agency, with 694 older 2G/3G sites and 521 4G sites hit. Repairs were under way but full restoration had not been announced, and Ghana had recorded 8,578 fibre cuts by early September at a cost of more than US$20 million to operators.
Ghana, a West African nation of roughly 35 million people, has an economy near US$114 billion, a bit bigger than Luxembourg’s. Its northern areas depend heavily on mobile connections for everyday communication and payments.
On 26 September 2026, three separate fibre routes were severed: MTN’s Kintampo–Buipe link before dawn, Telecel’s Wakawaka–Bamboi link late morning, and NITA’s Hohoe–Jasikan link around the same time. The breaks affected 694 2G/3G and 521 4G sites. By early September, Ghana had recorded 8,578 fibre cuts, costing operators more than US$20 million.
In northern Ghana and Oti, residents and small businesses could face disrupted calls, mobile data and mobile-money payments while repairs continue. This may make everyday commerce harder for traders, transport operators and families who rely on phones, and could push some toward cash or second SIMs. Health, education and emergency coordination may also be strained if outages persist, though the full duration and cause remain unclear.