MTN Nigeria has dismissed allegations of internet data theft on its network, attributing rapid data depletion to users’ online activities and device configurations, while also blaming persistent network quality challenges on fibre cuts, vandalism, power failures and congestion.
MTN Nigeria
The telecommunications company made the clarifications during an engagement with journalists and content creators in Lagos, where its engineers and technology experts addressed concerns about data consumption, billing practices and service quality.
Speaking at the session, MTN Nigeria’s Senior Manager for Core Network Implementation, Mr. Michael Ndukwe, said many subscribers misunderstand how internet data is consumed, particularly with the increasing adoption of 4G and 5G technologies.
“We usually hear the concern that MTN is stealing my data. I’m here to take you step by step through exactly how your data is used,” he said.
Ndukwe explained that data is not consumed when a mobile device merely connects to the network or undergoes authentication processes.
According to him, significant data usage only begins when users actively request online content such as videos, downloads or web pages.
He said the network first verifies that a subscriber is registered, has an active data bundle and is authorised to access internet services before establishing a session.
“Data is not taken from you without your action. When you stream, scroll, download or share, you are using data. It’s as simple as that,” he said.
Ndukwe noted that many subscribers compare current data consumption patterns with experiences on older 2G and 3G networks without considering the impact of faster technologies.
He explained that 4G and 5G networks are designed to support richer content and improved user experiences, resulting in higher data usage.
According to him, video streaming remains one of the biggest drivers of data consumption.
He said a 15-second TikTok video viewed in standard definition could consume between two and three megabytes of data, while the same clip watched in high definition could use up to 15 megabytes.
Ndukwe also identified auto-play features on social media platforms, hotspot sharing, cloud backups, software updates and connected devices as factors responsible for rapid depletion of data bundles.
“Even before you click a video, they keep changing. Those apps are already downloading content in the background so that there is no buffering,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr. David Ogunshola of MTN’s Information Technology team said discrepancies between data usage records displayed on customer devices and those recorded by the network were normal.
According to him, devices typically track application-level usage, while network systems record the entire data session, including signalling and connectivity processes.
“The more sophisticated the device, the more it is optimised for quality. If you do not adjust those configurations, the device will always try to give you the best possible experience, and that comes with higher data usage,” Ogunshola said.
On service quality concerns, MTN Nigeria’s Chief Technical Officer (CTO), Mr. Yahaya Ibrahim, attributed network disruptions to a combination of infrastructure challenges and environmental factors.
He explained that MTN’s network operates through interconnected layers, from base stations serving customers to transmission links and core network facilities that route traffic to the internet.
“Today, if you switch on your phone, your phone will try to locate the nearest station to it. And the station that has the best power to give you the best signal, your phone will latch on to that,” he said.
Ibrahim said network quality often deteriorates when sites become congested, experience power outages, run out of diesel or suffer equipment failures.
He identified fibre cuts, vandalism, sabotage and road construction activities as some of the major threats to network infrastructure.
“As we speak, we are having at least 35 to 40 fibre cuts a day because of our environment.
“Road construction, vandalisation, sabotage, these are things that really impact us,” he said.
The CTO disclosed that MTN recorded an average of two vandalised sites daily in 2025, with a total of 152 sites affected during the period.
According to him, generators, solar power systems, batteries and other critical telecommunications equipment were among assets targeted by vandals.
He explained that damage to a fibre route or hub site could disrupt connectivity across multiple communities because many network locations rely on shared transmission infrastructure.
Ibrahim said MTN had deployed personnel nationwide to patrol and monitor its facilities in an effort to reduce vandalism and protect network assets.
He urged Nigerians to safeguard telecommunications infrastructure, noting that attacks on such facilities affected entire communities and businesses that depend on reliable connectivity.
The MTN officials reaffirmed the company’s commitment to transparency in data billing and continued investment in network infrastructure to improve customer experience.
They said subscribers could also utilise tools such as the MyMTN application, data usage alerts and data management settings to monitor and control their consumption.
MTN has faced increasing complaints from customers over rapid data depletion, dropped calls, slow internet speeds and unstable connectivity, but the company insists that user behaviour, device settings and infrastructure-related challenges account for most of the concerns.
