MTN Nigeria has attributed the rapid depletion of subscribers’ internet data bundles to high-resolution video streaming, automatic downloads, background applications and cloud backups, denying allegations that telecommunications operators deliberately deduct customers’ data.
The telecommunications company said many subscribers unknowingly consume large amounts of data through smartphone settings and applications that continue running even when they are not actively using their devices.
Speaking at a forum tagged “Data on Trial” in Abuja on Monday, held on the sidelines of the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit, MTN Nigeria’s General Manager of Network Performance, Mike Ndukwe, said data consumption largely depended on subscribers’ online 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 applications such as TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and WhatsApp consume varying amounts of data depending on video resolution, automatic playback and the frequency of downloads.
According to him, watching a 15-second TikTok video could consume between two and 20 megabytes, depending on its quality, while high-definition streaming uses considerably more data than standard-definition viewing.
He said WhatsApp text messages generally consume minimal data, but status updates, videos, group messages and automatic media downloads could exhaust subscribers’ bundles faster than expected.
“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,” Ndukwe noted.
He disclosed that WhatsApp had approximately 45 million users in Nigeria, while TikTok was among the platforms generating substantial data traffic.
Ndukwe also cited figures indicating that data consumption had increased by approximately 43 per cent year-on-year.
He advised subscribers to disable automatic downloads, reduce streaming resolution, activate data-saving features and monitor their usage through the MyMTN application.
Also speaking at the forum, MTN Nigeria’s General Manager of IT Operations, David Ogunsola, explained that differences between data consumption figures displayed on smartphones and those recorded by telecommunications networks could result 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 stated that differences in measurement and rounding could produce discrepancies ranging from two per cent to approximately 12 per cent in some circumstances.
He added that network technology primarily determined connection speed, while video quality and application settings influenced the volume of data 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.
The Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola, defended the cost of providing internet services, citing electricity expenses and the cost 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 maintained that Nigerian telecommunications operators deployed equipment comparable to those used in Europe and the United States but faced higher operating costs, particularly for electricity.
He said MTN was intensifying consumer education to help subscribers understand their smartphone settings and manage their internet usage.
Similarly, Xiaomi Nigeria’s Northwest Sales Manager, Kevin Kojode, attributed unexpected data depletion to automatic software updates, cloud synchronisation, background applications and unrestricted hotspot connections.
“Today, users don’t just go online, they stay online,” Kojode said.
Using a one-gigabyte subscription as an example, he explained how background updates, cloud backups and operating system activities could consume data without users deliberately initiating downloads.
He advised subscribers to restrict automatic updates to Wi-Fi connections, activate data limits, monitor hotspot connections and reduce streaming quality.
Kojode also highlighted smartphone features that allow users to track data consumption and control data sharing, arguing that a better understanding of device settings could help Nigerians manage their internet subscriptions more effectively.