For years, one complaint has united millions of Nigerians regardless of tribe, religion, or political affiliation:
“MTN is stealing my data.”
Now, the telecommunications giant has finally responded.
Speaking during a media engagement in Lagos, MTN Nigeria dismissed allegations that it unfairly deducts customers’ data, insisting that rapid data depletion is largely caused by the way modern smartphones, apps, and internet services operate. According to the company, many subscribers are unknowingly consuming far more data than they realize.
MTN’s Senior Manager for Core Network Implementation, Michael Ndukwe, explained that data usage only occurs when subscribers actively request or receive online content through activities such as streaming videos, scrolling through social media feeds, downloading files, or sharing internet access.
One of the biggest culprits, according to the company, is video streaming.
MTN revealed that a single 15 second TikTok video may consume just 2 to 3 megabytes in standard definition, but the same clip can use up to 15 megabytes when viewed in high definition. This means a data bundle that once seemed sufficient on older networks can disappear much faster on today’s 4G and 5G networks.
The company also pointed fingers at auto play features on TikTok, Facebook Reels, YouTube Shorts, Instagram, and other social media platforms. Many of these applications automatically preload videos in the background before users even click on them, consuming data silently to ensure a smoother viewing experience.
Another surprising factor is what happens when users are not even touching their phones.
According to MTN, many smartphones automatically back up photos, synchronize files to cloud storage, update applications, and download software patches while users are asleep. These background activities can consume significant amounts of data without the owner’s immediate awareness.
Hotspot sharing was also identified as a major contributor. Once a phone becomes a hotspot, multiple devices can simultaneously consume data, causing bundles to disappear much faster than expected.
MTN further explained why many customers notice differences between data usage displayed on their devices and figures recorded by the network. The company says smartphones often track only application level usage, while network systems record the entire data session required to maintain connectivity.
Using a simple analogy, Ndukwe compared modern internet consumption to drinking water through a larger straw.
“If you use a bigger straw, you’ll finish it faster. You’ll enjoy it more, but consumption is higher,” he said.
Despite the explanations, many Nigerians are likely to remain skeptical, especially after years of complaints about disappearing data bundles and rising telecom costs.
The debate now shifts from whether data is disappearing to whether subscribers fully
understand what is consuming it.
One thing is certain.
In the era of 4G, 5G, cloud backups, smart TVs, auto play videos, gaming consoles, and connected devices, data consumption is no longer what it was a decade ago.
The real question may no longer be whether your network is eating your data, but whether your phone is.
