Earlier this year, 2024, Nigeria experienced a total network shutdown due to damage to a cable, as reported. The network shutdown affected all telecommunication lines which majorly put a halt to surfing of any kind. Internet connections were completely down, and there was no way to get around it except for people who had access to costly alternatives like Elon Musk's Starlink.
That moment marked the most significant network issue I had ever faced. I had experienced network problems before, but in those instances, I could switch to other telecommunication services in Nigeria using just a SIM card. Usually, I keep SIM cards from all the major networks in Nigeria as a backup. However, during this particular situation, all my options were rendered useless.
As someone deeply engrossed in the internet, this was a major blow. One of my primary uses for my phone is accessing the internet, as I am neither a gamer nor overly obsessed with movies. During that period, my phone usage dropped to just 1% of its usual activity. I couldn't do anything online, and I missed my writing streak here, even though I had drafted several articles. In fact, I took the time to draft as many articles as I could and pile them up. Eventually, I grew tired, especially since I rely on prompts for my writing and couldn’t access recent ones from different communities due to the lack of network.
That period made me realize that time truly waits for no one. Even when someone dies, life goes on for others. Why do I say this? Non-Nigerians were not affected by the shutdown and continued their activities, enjoying the benefits of blockchain and the internet while we were stuck in our world, frustrated and lamenting.
The most significant impact of the network outage for me was on my blogging lifestyle. It became almost impossible to publish a post. Even when the network returned briefly with slight signals, it was still a struggle. I recall my phone battery being at 60%, yet attempting to upload a single photo to my article would drain it down to 15% due to the waiting time. Many times, I would fall asleep with my network active, trying to upload a photo, only to wake up in the morning and find it still loading, with my battery beeping "low battery."
That period was messy and took a toll on my emotions. Even when a particular VPN was suggested as a way to bypass the network issues, it didn’t work smoothly.
I also faced challenges with making payments during that time. For someone like me who relies on mobile apps and doesn’t use USSD codes, it was extremely difficult to make purchases without internet access to log into my bank apps.
I don't wish to experience such a thing again 🥲.
Thanks for reading.
This is my entry to the digi-prompts of the week.
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Ghanaians actually had it worse than we did. But you know, the rest of the world had no idea. Such should be repeat itself, because it wasn't funny. That writing offline was a productive idea anyway.
Oh yeah, I remember reading some Ghanians article after it was resolved, complaining of the same thing.
May we not have to experience such thing again. Amen 😅
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