MTN Nigeria has blamed the rapid draining of subscribers’ internet data bundles on high-resolution video streaming, automatic downloads, background applications, cloud backups, and increased internet activity, while rejecting claims that telecom operators intentionally deduct customers’ data.
The telecommunications company clarified that many subscribers unknowingly use large amounts of data because of smartphone settings and applications that keep running even when users are not actively browsing.
At a forum titled “Data on Trial,” held in Abuja on Monday alongside the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit, MTN Nigeria’s General Manager of Network Performance, Mike Ndukwe, stated that data consumption is largely driven by subscribers’ activities and device configurations.
“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,” he said.
Ndukwe explained that apps like TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and WhatsApp use different amounts of data, depending on video resolution, automatic playback, and how often downloads occur.
According to him, a 15-second TikTok video could use between two and 20 megabytes, depending on its quality, while streaming in high definition requires considerably more data than watching in standard definition.
He said WhatsApp messages typically use very little data, but status updates, videos, group messages, and automatic media downloads could use up subscriptions faster than users expected.
“If your WhatsApp is set on auto-download, straight away it hits your data bundle. And that is where you can optimize some of your settings,” Ndukwe noted.
He revealed that WhatsApp had roughly 45 million users in Nigeria, while TikTok was among the platforms responsible for generating considerable data traffic.
Ndukwe also referenced figures showing that data consumption rose by about 43 per cent year-on-year.
He recommended that subscribers turn off automatic downloads, lower streaming resolution, enable data-saving features, and keep track of consumption via the MyMTN application.
Speaking as well, David Ogunsola, MTN Nigeria’s General Manager of IT Operations, explained that discrepancies between data recorded on smartphones and on telecommunications networks could 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,” he said.
Ogunsola noted that differences in measurement and rounding could lead to variations of between two per cent and roughly 12 per cent in certain situations.
He further noted that network technology was the main factor determining connection speed, whereas video quality and application settings affected how much data was consumed.
“The network type that you are on, whether it’s 3G or 4G, just like Mike also explained earlier, would determine not how much data you use, but how fast you’re able to do what it is that you want to do,” he explained.
Karl Toriola, the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, justified the cost of delivering internet services by pointing to electricity expenses and the responsibility of powering and maintaining telecommunications sites.
“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.
Toriola asserted that Nigerian operators used equipment comparable to that deployed in Europe and the United States, yet faced higher operating costs, especially for electricity.
He stated that the company was stepping up consumer education to help subscribers understand smartphone settings and manage their internet usage.
Kevin Kojode, the Northwest Sales Manager of Xiaomi Nigeria, likewise blamed unexpected data depletion on automatic software updates, cloud synchronization, background applications, and unrestricted hotspot connections.
“Today, users don’t just go online, they stay online,” Kojode said.
With a one-gigabyte subscription as an example, he demonstrated how background updates, cloud backups, and operating-system activities can use up data even when users do not intentionally start downloads.
He recommended that subscribers limit automatic updates to Wi-Fi, turn on data limits, keep an eye on hotspot connections, and lower streaming quality.
Kojode also pointed to smartphone features that let users track consumption and restrict data sharing, arguing that a better grasp of device settings could help Nigerians get more value from their subscriptions.
