MTN opens data billing systems to public scrutiny amid concerns

MTN Nigeria has opened its data billing and network operations to public scrutiny in a bid to address persistent consumer concerns over alleged data depletion and rebuild customer trust.

The Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer, MTN, Tobe Okigbo, said at a press conference on Data on Trial in Lagos that the initiative would allow Nigerians to independently examine how data was consumed and billed on the network.

Okigbo said the exercise was designed to determine whether there are genuine system issues, customer misconceptions or areas requiring better consumer education.

According to him, MTN adopted a similar approach years ago when customers complained about unauthorised value-added service subscriptions and deductions.

He said the company then suspended affected services, subjected its systems to regulatory scrutiny and introduced measures that restored consumer confidence.

“We want Nigerians to tell us what is wrong, ask questions and help us identify issues so that we can collectively find solutions,” he said.

Okigbo said trust remained critical in the telecommunications business, adding that customers are more willing to use digital services when they understand how charges are applied.

He said the planned public engagement would be streamed live, allowing consumers and stakeholders across the country to participate and ask questions.

Also speaking, MTN’s General Manager, Network Quality, Mike Ndukwe, dismissed claims that operators arbitrarily deduct customer data.

Ndukwe explained that data consumption began when users stream videos, browse websites, download files or run applications in the background.

Using TikTok as an example, he said video quality significantly affected consumption, with high-definition content using several times more data than standard-definition videos.

He added that autoplay features, background updates, cloud backups and hotspot connections often consume data without users noticing.

According to him, 4G and 5G technologies provide faster speeds and higher-quality experiences but can also increase data usage because of richer content delivery.

Ndukwe said customers could manage consumption by adjusting video resolution, limiting background applications and monitoring device settings.

He further explained that data usage was measured through globally recognised standards and verified billing systems.

The official said customer devices, network systems and billing platforms often recorded usage differently because they captured different stages of data transmission.

He noted that MTN’s billing processes are subjected to periodic audits by the Nigerian Communications Commission and independent assessors.

According to him, the same charging technologies and standards used by MTN Nigeria are deployed across multiple countries and regulated telecom markets.

Speaking on service quality, the General Manager, Network Services, Asura Mshelia, said network performance depended on several interconnected systems.

Mshelia explained that customer traffic passes through base stations, transmission links, switching centres and internet gateways before reaching online destinations.

He said network congestion, power failures, equipment faults and fibre cuts are among the factors that could affect service quality.

According to him, vandalism remains a major challenge, with MTN recording hundreds of attacks on telecoms infrastructure, including theft of generators, batteries and solar equipment.

Mshelia said fibre cuts caused by road construction, sabotage and illegal activities frequently disrupted services and affected large numbers of subscribers.

He urged Nigerians to help protect telecoms infrastructure, noting that attacks on network facilities often led to widespread service disruptions.

The official said the engagement was aimed at improving transparency, addressing consumer concerns and strengthening trust between operators and subscribers.