Questions around mobile data consumption, billing and depletion will come under scrutiny at Abia State University (ABSU) on Thursday, October 15, 2026, as MTN brings its Data on Trial initiative to the university, RaveNewsOnline reports.
The ABSU engagement comes as MTN takes the conversation beyond its initial public hearing in Lagos into Nigerian universities, giving students an opportunity to question, examine and better understand how mobile data is consumed and measured.
MTN launched Data on Trial in Lagos in June in response to recurring concerns from telecom consumers about data usage and perceived rapid depletion.
The four-hour public hearing brought together consumers, technology experts, regulators, independent auditors and other stakeholders in a courtroom-style setting to examine the factors that influence data consumption and the systems used to account for it.
The initiative’s first campus edition was held at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, in August, where students from the Faculties of Law and Engineering served as the prosecution while MTN representatives formed the defence team.
Questions and discussions covered data consumption, network quality, pricing and refunds, while practical demonstrations showed how activities such as video streaming, social media use, background applications and automatic updates can affect data usage.
They were also introduced to tools, including the MyMTN App and data usage features, that can help them monitor and manage their consumption.
At ABSU, students will have a similar opportunity to present their questions and experiences, engaging MTN representatives and technical experts in conversations around smartphone settings, network processes, application behaviour including background activity, automatic updates, video quality, cloud synchronisation, hotspot connections, and other factors that influence how quickly data bundles are consumed.The session will also spotlight practical tools that can help users monitor and manage their usage more effectively.
As mobile data becomes increasingly central to learning, communication, entertainment and entrepreneurship, the ABSU edition provides another platform for meaningful dialogue and greater transparency around one of consumers’ most frequently discussed concerns.
Data on Trial forms part of MTN’s broader commitment to improving customer understanding of data usage through open engagement, education and direct consumer interaction.
