MTN Explains Why Nigerians’ Data Finishes Fast, Denies Deductions

​MTN Nigeria has dismissed allegations that telecom operators deliberately deduct subscribers’ internet data, attributing rapid data depletion to high-resolution streaming, background app activity, auto-downloads, and cloud backups.
​Speaking at the “Data on Trial” forum held on the sidelines of the Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja, MTN Nigeria’s General Manager of Network Performance, Mike Ndukwe, emphasized that data consumption is directly driven by user activity and smartphone settings.
​“We’re not stealing your data… But the honest answer is that data is not taken without an action, either your action or your phone,” Ndukwe said, noting that overall data consumption in Nigeria has increased by approximately 43 percent year-on-year.
​Key Drivers of Fast Data Depletion:
​High-Definition Streaming: Platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram consume heavy amounts of data depending on resolution. A single 15-second TikTok video can use between 2 MB and 20 MB.
​Auto-Downloads & Statuses: While basic text messages use minimal data, WhatsApp features like auto-downloading media, group messages, and viewing status updates exhaust data bundles rapidly.
​Background App Refresh & Cloud Sync: Smartphones continuously update software, back up files to the cloud, and refresh apps in the background even when users are not actively browsing.
​Addressing discrepancies between data usage recorded on phones versus telecom networks, David Ogunsola, MTN’s GM of IT Operations, explained that variations of 2 to 12 percent can occur due to measurement methods, network rounding, and session timing. He added that connection types (3G vs. 4G/5G) dictate browsing speed rather than total volume used.
​MTN Nigeria CEO Karl Toriola also addressed service pricing, highlighting the high operational costs of powering and maintaining telecom infrastructure independently across the country compared to Western markets.
​Tips to Control Data Usage:
​Disable automatic media downloads on WhatsApp and social media.
​Turn off auto-updates over cellular networks and restrict them to Wi-Fi.
​Lower video streaming quality on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.
​Enable data-saver mode and set data usage limits in phone settings.
​Monitor consumption using the MyMTN app.