Isah Muhammad Galadima, Lecturer Department of Linguistics, Usmanu Ɗanfodiyo University, Sokoto.
Birnin Gwari, with an estimated population of over 500,000 people residing across 11 wards, is a land of industrious farmers and herders. Agriculture, particularly farming, forms the backbone of its economy.
The region is home to nearly 100,000 farmers who contribute significantly to Nigeria’s food supply, producing half of the nation’s grains such as maize, millet, groundnuts, beans, and soybeans.
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Official data shows that trucks of maize are regularly purchased from Birnin Gwari by traders from across the country, with Lagos State taking the lead.
Food processing companies in states like Kwara, Lagos, and Ogun also depend heavily on maize and other grains sourced from Birnin Gwari.
Neighboring countries, such as Niger, often come to purchase millet and other food items. Remarkably, Birnin Gwari alone is responsible for 37% of Nigeria’s food production, playing a vital role in preventing food shortages nationwide.
Yet, this region that feeds the nation has endured over three years without reliable MTN, Airtel, or Etisalat networks. While Glo provides some coverage, it is insufficient to meet the community’s needs.
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As peace has now returned to Birnin Gwari, we earnestly appeal to the relevant authorities and the telecommunications companies: MTN, Airtel, and Etisalat, to restore their services.
The absence of these networks has crippled the region’s economy, leaving the community, farmers, herders, and peace-loving citizens, struggling to communicate effectively.
Economic Disruption and Hardships
The lack of networks has significantly hampered economic activities in Birnin Gwari. People must travel distances of up to 250 kilometers to complete simple transactions and other business activities.
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Farmers, in particular, face tremendous challenges coordinating with their peers and buyers.
This communication gap leads to considerable losses, inefficiencies in delivering goods to other states, especially in Southern Nigeria, and general hardship.
Impact on Daily Life and Opportunities
Young people, full of potential, are missing out on digital opportunities like freelancing, social media communication, and cryptocurrency, a rapidly growing field.
Thousands are unable to make calls or send messages during emergencies, leading to avoidable injuries and even deaths.
Medical emergencies become catastrophic when there is no way to contact healthcare providers.
The lack of networks also disrupts government operations, halts banking activities, and forces students to travel to Kaduna or Minna just to sit for internet-based exams such as JAMB.
Simple processes like resolving bank issues or obtaining a National Identification Number (NIN) have become insurmountable tasks for many.
A Call for Immediate Action
Despite several appeals by community leaders, progress has been slow. For instance, when the MTN network in Kagara, Niger State, failed months ago, repairs were promptly carried out while Birnin Gwari was overlooked.
Residents were hopeful when MTN repair teams passed through the town, only to learn the work was for another location.
We humbly call on the Nigerian government, telecommunications companies, and the Kaduna State Governor to act swiftly.
If existing installations cannot be repaired, we plead for the provision of new ones. The community promises to safeguard the equipment to ensure uninterrupted service.
MTN, Airtel, and Etisalat are urged to fulfill their corporate social responsibility by restoring networks in Birnin Gwari.
The people are living in darkness, deprived of communication and opportunities due to this prolonged outage.
Finally, we appeal to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Ministry of Communications to intervene in this matter.
With peace now prevailing in Birnin Gwari, there are no longer any security concerns to hinder the restoration of these vital services.
The people of Birnin Gwari are in dire need of your assistance. Please, do not delay any further.