Why data dries up quickly in Nigeria – MTN

The telecommunications company made the recommendation during its Data on Trial experience held in Abuja on Monday, where it addressed concerns about data consumption and the factors influencing the cost of mobile internet services.

MTN Nigeria Chief Executive Officer, Karl Toriola, said the cost of providing telecommunications services in Nigeria was influenced by substantial operational expenses, including electricity, transportation and infrastructure maintenance.

He disclosed that MTN spent about N4.05 trillion on power in the preceding year, highlighting the financial burden associated with keeping its network infrastructure operational.

“Even within the context of data being perceived as more expensive in Nigeria, the UK is the example I was giving,” Toriola said.

He explained that telecommunications operators in Nigeria and some other African countries had to provide power and transportation to their network sites, adding that electricity costs were higher in Nigeria than in the United Kingdom.

He advised users to disable automatic media downloads, restrict background data consumption and configure applications to download large files only when connected to Wi-Fi.

The event comes amid continued growth in Nigeria’s telecommunications market and rising demand for mobile internet services.

Data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), updated as of October 12, 2026, showed that mobile subscriptions across MTN, Airtel, Globacom and T2 increased to 197,416,694 in August from 195,108,814 in July.

Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Communications, Peter Akpatason, acknowledged MTN’s investments in the sector but said further investment was needed to improve telecommunications services.

He also described initiatives aimed at improving public understanding of data management and addressing misconceptions about the industry as worthwhile.

Meanwhile, the NCC has disclosed that telecommunications operators committed to upgrading 12,000 network sites in 2026 to improve coverage and service quality nationwide.

The commission’s Executive Vice Chairman, Aminu Maida, said operators upgraded slightly more than 3,000 sites for coverage and capacity improvements in 2025.

He explained that the 2026 programme involved deploying additional spectrum on existing 4G sites and upgrading older 2G and 3G infrastructure to 4G and 5G technologies.

According to Maida, the pace of deployment indicates that operators are increasing infrastructure investment compared with the previous year.