By Daniel Tyokua
MTN Nigeria has engaged consumers in Abuja over complaints about data consumption, as the telecommunications company seeks to address concerns about its data services.
Speaking at a forum tagged “Data on Trial” in Abuja on Monday, MTN Nigeria Chief Executive Officer and MTN Group Vice President for Francophone Africa, Karl Toriola, said the company was committed to sustaining quality data services.
He explained that the forum was designed as a courtroom-style public engagement where consumers and key stakeholders could share their experiences, ask questions and raise concerns about data usage.
The event featured journalists, social media influencers and consumer advocates as prosecutors, while senior MTN officials defended the company’s policies and responded to questions from participants.
Addressing concerns about the high cost of data, Toriola attributed some of the challenges to rising operating costs, particularly the increase in diesel prices.
He also dismissed claims that MTN deliberately depleted subscribers’ data, saying the perception that the company steals consumers’ data was a misunderstanding.
The company’s General Manager, Network Performance, Mike Nduka, highlighted the growing adoption of social media in Nigeria as a factor influencing data consumption.
Similarly, MTN sales representative Kevin Kojode said changes in consumer behaviour had contributed to increased data demand, noting that users increasingly remained connected to the internet rather than going online only when necessary.
He added that the growing demand for data had coincided with advances in smartphone technology, which had further influenced users’ internet consumption patterns.
Kojode advocated clearer data usage controls that would allow subscribers to set limits and receive notifications when their data allowances were exhausted.
