MTN Nigeria has blamed the failure to optimise cellular phone settings and handle data consumption for the pointless depletion of many Nigerians’ data bundles.
The firm referred to as for optimising phone settings throughout its Data on Trial expertise, organised by MTN Nigeria on Monday in Abuja and attended by Nairametrics.
Nairametrics studies that trade statistics launched by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and up to date as of October 12, 2026, confirmed that whole cellular subscriptions throughout the 4 networks, together with Airtel, Globacom and T2, stood at 197,416,694 in August up from 195,108,814 in July 2026.
MTN highlights operational prices
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MTN Nigeria, Mr Karl Toriola, highlighted a number of components contributing to data pricing in Nigeria, together with the operational prices confronted by cellular telecommunications operators.
He confused that operators incur vital bills in offering electrical energy, transportation and different infrastructure required to keep up telecommunications websites.
According to him, MTN spent about N4.05 trillion on energy within the previous 12 months.
- “Even inside the context of data being perceived as costlier in Nigeria, the UK is the instance I used to be giving.
- “Please, perceive that on this nation, in addition to another African nations, we’re offering energy and transportation to all our websites.
- “The cost of electricity, for instance, is higher here than in the UK,” he mentioned.
For his half, the General Manager of Network Performance and Quality Assurance at MTN Nigeria, Mr Mike Ndukwe, mentioned video streaming, social media actions and automated downloads have been among the many components contributing to fast data depletion.
He suggested subscribers to disable automated media downloads of their phone settings, limit background data utilization and configure functions to obtain giant recordsdata solely when linked to Wi-Fi.
The official argued that data depletion typically outcomes from alleged customers’ on-line actions or phone settings relatively than unexplained deductions.
He urged subscribers to grasp how their gadgets and functions devour data.
There is room for enchancment — Reps
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Communications, Mr Peter Akpatason, mentioned that regardless of MTN’s vital funding within the telecommunications sector, there was room for additional funding aimed toward bettering service high quality.
He described initiatives aimed toward bettering public understanding of data administration and addressing misconceptions concerning the telecommunications trade as worthwhile.
What it’s best to know
Nairametrics studies that the expansion in subscriptions and rising data consumption in Nigeria are placing strain on telecommunications operators to speculate extra in increasing their infrastructure capability.
- In response to this problem, the NCC disclosed that telecommunications operators had dedicated to upgrading 12,000 websites in 2026 to enhance service high quality throughout the nation.
- According to the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Dr Aminu Maida, operators carried out simply over 3,000 website upgrades for protection and capability in 2025. However, with a dedication to improve 12,000 websites in 2026, they’re ramping up infrastructure investments and community growth.
He defined that the upgrades embrace further spectrum deployment on 4G websites, in addition to the conversion of older 2G and 3G websites to 4G and 5G infrastructure.
Maida famous that the present tempo of deployment exhibits that the trade is already forward of final 12 months’s efficiency.
