MTN defends billing transparency, attributes rapid data depletion to background apps, device settings
Orisemeke Benjamin with agency
Amid growing subscriber grievances over rapid internet data depletion, MTN Nigeria has defended its billing architecture, attributing perceived rapid data loss to device configurations, high-resolution streaming, and elevated operational overheads unique to the operating environment.
Speaking in Abuja on Monday at an interactive industry forum tagged “Data on Trial,” MTN Nigeria Chief Executive Officer Karl Toriola maintained that the telecommunications giant’s billing system remains transparent, accountable, and strictly aligned with global standards.
Toriola emphasized that open dialogue and consumer education are critical to bridging the trust gap between subscribers and service providers.
“Open discussions would enable subscribers to question industry practices while allowing operators to explain the technical processes involved in data measurement and billing,” Toriola stated. “We would continue to engage in consumer education to help subscribers understand smartphone settings and control their internet usage.”
Addressing widespread public perceptions regarding high data tariffs, the CEO pushed back against claims that mobile data is priced disproportionately higher in Nigeria compared to international jurisdictions. He explained that heavy infrastructural burdens, particularly the private generation of power and logistics maintenance across thousands of cell sites, significantly drive-up operating expenditure.
“Please understand that this country, as well as a few other African countries, we are providing power and transportation to all of our sites,” Toriola noted, adding that “Nigerian operators deployed equipment comparable to that used in Europe and the United States but faced higher operating costs, particularly for electricity.”
Reinforcing these technical clarifications, MTN’s General Manager of Network Performance, Mike Ndukwe, flatly dismissed allegations of deliberate data shaving by telecommunications operators. Ndukwe clarified that data consumption volume is dictated primarily by user habits and background software operations rather than carrier manipulation.
According to Ndukwe, swift exhaustion of data bundles typically stems from data-heavy activities such as high-resolution video streaming, unmanaged automatic downloads, hidden background applications, continuous cloud backups, and intensive overall internet activity.
Industry analysts note that platforms like “Data on Trial” offer crucial avenues for transparency, though consumer advocates continue to demand more intuitive self-management tools to help subscribers monitor real-time consumption.
