MTN Explains Why Nigerians’ Internet Data Finishes Quickly

According to a report by PUNCH Newspapers on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, MTN officials explained that smartphone settings, cloud backups and increased internet activity were among the major factors responsible for unexpected data consumption.

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 users’ 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,” Ndukwe said.

He explained that platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and WhatsApp could consume significant amounts of data depending on video quality, automatic playback and media downloads.

According to Ndukwe, watching a 15-second TikTok video could consume between two and 20 megabytes, depending on its resolution. He added that high-definition streaming required substantially more data than standard-definition viewing.

“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 noted.

MTN Nigeria’s General Manager of IT Operations, David Ogunsola, said differences between data usage displayed on smartphones and figures 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,” Ogunsola said.

He added that measurement variations and rounding could produce differences of between two and 12 per cent in some circumstances.

MTN Nigeria’s Chief Executive Officer, Karl Toriola, also defended the cost of providing internet services, citing electricity and transportation expenses associated with operating telecommunications infrastructure.