MTN Nigeria has attributed the rapid disappearance of customers' internet bundles to video streaming, automatic downloads, background applications and cloud synchronisation, rejecting the suggestion that operators deduct data deliberately. The company made its case at a forum called "Data on Trial" in Abuja, held alongside the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit, according to The Whistler Newspaper.
The operator's position is that subscribers often lose substantial amounts of data without noticing, because apps and phone features keep drawing on internet resources even when the device is idle.
Why it matters
Data costs weigh heavily on Nigerian subscribers, and complaints about bundles vanishing faster than expected are common. MTN's public explanation matters because it shifts the focus from network billing to handset settings and user habits — a framing that, if accepted, changes what customers can do about the problem. The company says the fix lies largely in settings users control themselves.
Mike Ndukwe, MTN Nigeria's General Manager of Network Performance, told the forum that browsing behaviour and phone configuration are the main determinants of how quickly a bundle runs out. He acknowledged how the situation feels to customers but maintained that consumption always follows an action.
"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 said, as reported by The Whistler Newspaper.
How everyday apps add up
Ndukwe singled out TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and WhatsApp as platforms whose data draw varies with video resolution, autoplay behaviour and download settings. A 15-second TikTok clip, he said, can consume anywhere from two to 20 megabytes depending on how sharp the video is, and high-definition content costs far more than standard definition.
WhatsApp deserves particular attention, he argued. Plain text messages use very little data, but frequent video sharing, status updates, busy group chats and automatic media downloads can eat through a subscription quickly. He pointed to auto-download as a common culprit.
"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 said.
The Whistler Newspaper reports that Ndukwe put WhatsApp's Nigerian user base at roughly 45 million and described TikTok as one of the platforms driving a large share of internet traffic. He also cited figures showing data consumption rising by about 43 per cent year on year.
His advice to subscribers: switch off automatic downloads, reduce streaming quality, turn on data-saving features and keep an eye on usage through the MyMTN app.
Why phone meters and network bills disagree
David Ogunsola, MTN Nigeria's General Manager of IT Operations, addressed a related grievance — the gap between what a handset reports and what the network charges. He said the two figures can differ because of measurement methods, background activity and when data sessions are timed.
"The data that you measure on your devices is slightly different from what traverses over the network and what's on the charge," Ogunsola said. He explained that measurement variations and rounding could produce differences of between two per cent and about 12 per cent in some circumstances.
Ogunsola also pushed back on the idea that newer network technology inflates usage. Whether a customer is on 3G or 4G mainly changes how quickly tasks complete, not how much data they consume, he said, adding that streaming quality and app settings are the real drivers.
"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 said.
Cost of running the network
MTN Nigeria Chief Executive Officer Karl Toriola used the forum to defend the price of service, citing the expense of powering and maintaining network sites. He said operators in Nigeria and several other African countries must arrange electricity and transport for their sites themselves, which pushes up operating costs.
"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 said.
He maintained that Nigerian operators run equipment comparable to what is deployed in Europe and the United States but carry heavier running costs, electricity in particular. Toriola said MTN is expanding efforts to teach consumers how to manage their smartphone settings and understand their internet consumption.
Device makers point to the same settings
Kevin Kojode, Xiaomi Nigeria's Northwest Sales Manager, offered a handset-maker's view and largely echoed the carrier's diagnosis. He listed automatic software updates, cloud backups, background applications and unrestricted mobile hotspot connections as further causes of unexpected data loss.
Using a one gigabyte bundle as an example, Kojode said updates, cloud synchronisation and operating-system processes can claim a significant share of a user's allowance without any deliberate browsing or downloading. He recommended limiting automatic updates to Wi-Fi, setting usage limits, checking which devices are connected to a hotspot and lowering video resolution. He also urged users to make use of the data monitoring and sharing restrictions built into their phones.
The Whistler Newspaper's report captures a rare public airing of a dispute that usually plays out in customer complaints and social media threads. MTN's answer is essentially that the drain is traceable — to specific apps, specific settings and specific habits — and therefore manageable.
What to watch: whether MTN's promised consumer education translates into fewer billing disputes, and whether regulators or consumer groups accept the operator's explanation or press for independent verification of network-side measurement.
