MTN Nigeria Explains Rapid Data Depletion Causes

MTN Nigeria has attributed the rapid depletion of customer data to factors such as high-resolution video streaming, automatic downloads, background applications, and increased internet activity. Speaking at the “Data on Trial” forum in Abuja, General Manager of Network Performance Mike Ndukwe explained that many subscribers unknowingly consume significant amounts of data through their smartphone settings and applications.

He clarified that data is not taken without user action or phone settings. For instance, a 15-second TikTok video can consume between two and 20 megabytes depending on quality.

Ndukwe noted that WhatsApp, while generally low in data consumption for messages, can exhaust data quickly through status updates and automatic media downloads. He revealed that WhatsApp has approximately 45 million users in Nigeria and that data consumption has increased by about 43 percent year-on-year.

CEO Karl Toriola defended the costs of internet service provision, citing high electricity expenses and the need for consumer education on smartphone settings.