MTN Nigeria has firmly rejected claims that it deliberately depletes customers’ data bundles, attributing rapid consumption instead to everyday smartphone habits and app settings.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja on Monday, Mike Ndukwe, General Manager of Network Performance at MTN Nigeria, said data is never deducted without activity — either by the user or the device itself.
“We’re not stealing your data. However, we completely understand how it feels, especially right now, where every amount counts. But the honest answer is that data is not taken without an action, either your action or your phone,” Ndukwe stated.
He pointed to high-resolution video streaming, automatic media downloads, background applications, cloud backups and increased overall internet use as the main culprits. Many subscribers, he noted, remain unaware that their phones continue consuming data even when they are not actively browsing.
Ndukwe highlighted that while WhatsApp messages themselves use little data, status updates, videos, group chats and automatic downloads can quickly exhaust bundles. Apps such as TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and WhatsApp vary widely in consumption depending on video resolution, auto-play settings and download frequency.
“If your WhatsApp is set on auto-download, straight away it hits your data bundle. And that is where you can optimise some of your settings,” he advised.
Customers were urged to disable automatic downloads, lower streaming resolution, turn on data-saving features and regularly monitor usage to stay in control.
David Ogunsola, General Manager of IT Operations, added that discrepancies often arise between the data shown on a user’s device and the amount recorded by the network. Differences stem from measurement methods, background traffic and the timing of data sessions.
“The data that you measure on your devices is slightly different from what traverses over the network and what’s on the charge,” Ogunsola explained. Network type (3G or 4G) mainly affects speed rather than the volume of data used; actual consumption is driven more by video quality and app behaviour.
On pricing, MTN Nigeria Chief Executive Officer Karl Toriola noted that high costs of powering and maintaining network sites across Nigeria and other African markets contribute to the final tariffs paid by consumers.
“Please understand that this country, as well as a few other African countries, we are providing power and transportation to all of our sites,” he said.