{"id":1617,"date":"2026-07-06T15:23:56","date_gmt":"2026-07-06T15:23:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/?p=1617"},"modified":"2026-07-06T15:58:50","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T15:58:50","slug":"infocus-nigerias-rising-data-costs-qoe-and-telecoms-sustainability","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/?p=1617","title":{"rendered":"InFocus: Nigeria&#8217;s rising data costs, QoE and telecoms sustainability"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>*<strong><em>Nigerian network operators and telecoms industry stakeholders address growing concerns over absence of unlimited mobile data plans, data depletion cum end to data expiration, and attendant effects on service quality and consumer experience, highlighting certain factors fuelling these challenges, and solutions in the ecosystem <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect<\/p>\n<p>Sequel to recent several Nigerian telecoms consumers&#8217; recent growing concerns over the absence of unlimited mobile data plans, data depletion issues, and possible end to data expiration, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and other industry stakeholders have continued to discuss major factors affecting the Quailty of Service (QoS) and Quality of Experience (QoE) towards evolving acceptable solutions to these extant connectivity challenges in the entire digital ecosystem.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking on the topical issues in the telecoms space, Dr. Karl Toriola, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MTN Nigeria, at a recent MTN\u2019s \u201cData on Trial\u201d consumer engagement forum in Lagos, identified broader infrastructure and security challenges affecting telecoms operations across Nigeria.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"eQ99l6KqwH\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/?p=1621\">IMF Report: Alleged N8.8trn public expenditure outside budgetary framework incorrect, misleading &#8211;Nigerian Govt<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"\u201cIMF Report: Alleged N8.8trn public expenditure outside budgetary framework incorrect, misleading \u2013Nigerian Govt\u201d \u2014 Consumer Experience Is A Top Priority\" src=\"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/?p=1621&amp;embed=true#?secret=rwXqgBGpTG#?secret=eQ99l6KqwH\" data-secret=\"eQ99l6KqwH\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Highlighting some of the extant challenges the all-important industry is currently faced with in the West African country, Dr. Toriola said: \u201cWe are in a country where area boys will block us from working.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We are in a country where there is no reliable electricity.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We are in a country where someone can light up a manhole and affect 30,000 subscribers or base stations serving up to two million people.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>He emphasised how such incidents often contribute more to service disruptions than data consumption issues in telecommunications.<\/p>\n<p>The Chief Executive of the industry leader explained that the current agitation by telecoms subscribers for unlimited mobile data plans, and an end to data expiry might be unrealistic under Nigeria\u2019s current telecommunications environment after all.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Unlimited mobile data in Nigeria&#8217;s telecoms ecosystem?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Unveiling the inherent risks of institutionalising unlimited mobile data in the Nigerian telecoms ecosystem, Toriola contended that offering such a data plan at affordable rates could undermine the financial sustainability of network operators, and ultimately, affect the Quality of Service.<\/p>\n<p>The MTN CEO&#8217;s remarks came amid the increasing consumer complaints over rising data costs, data depletion rates, and the validity periods attached to purchased bundles.<\/p>\n<p>He explained that several instances of rapid data depletion are linked to consumer behaviour, and device settings rather than network operators in the country.<\/p>\n<p>Toriola, however, referenced cases involving heavy background data consumption, including a staff member.<\/p>\n<p>According to him, the particular consumer whose laptop reportedly consumed between 120 and 156 gigabytes of data overnight due to configuration settings.<\/p>\n<p>He further recounted another incident involving a customer who complained about fast data depletion on a 5G router, only for MTN officials to discover that YouTube videos were streaming continuously in the said customer\u2019s home.<\/p>\n<p>Besides, the Chief Executive of MTN identified broader infrastructure and security challenges affecting telecoms operations across the West African country.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Implications of unlimited mobile data for network operators <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In addressing calls for unlimited mobile data in the Nigerian telecoms space, Toriola restated that no operator globally, could sustainably offer unrestricted access on mobile networks at &#8220;low prices&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>The MTN Nigeria Chief averred: \u201cThe issue of unlimited data on mobile networks, it doesn\u2019t exist anywhere in the world, except you are paying something, maybe $400 a month or whatever it is.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere is a limit because you can never build enough capacity for everyone to be on an unlimited bundle and think you can provide a quality of service that is decent.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>He as well compared consumers&#8217; demand for unlimited mobile data to offering unrestricted airline tickets at heavily discounted rates, arguing that such a model would eventually become unsustainable.<\/p>\n<p>Said Toriola: \u201cIf you decide to give everybody in Nigeria unlimited air flights, local air tickets, for a silly number like N200,000 a month, do you think the airline industry will survive? They won\u2019t.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It doesn\u2019t work that way. We cannot give unlimited data on mobile.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>In defence of the latest upward tariff adjustments, which the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) approved for telecoms operators, he maintained the development was necessary to prevent a collapse of telecoms industry in Nigeria.<\/p>\n<p>The CEO of the leading telecoms operator recalled that the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) were struggling to meet critical operational expenses before the NCC-backed tariff review few years ago.<\/p>\n<p><strong>MTN technically insolvent before tariff increments &#8211; Official <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Toriola reiterates that the tariff increases were implemented for a basic primary reason to allow the industry to survive at the time.<\/p>\n<p>He stated: &#8220;At the point when the tariff increase was implemented, we practically could not.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We were on the verge of shutting down sites because there was not enough money to pay our bills for diesel, rental and software licences.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>He affirmed that MTN Nigeria was technically insolvent before the adjustment.<\/p>\n<p>He recalled: \u201cIn the period when the tariff increase was implemented, technically speaking, we were insolvent.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We were in negative equity for those who are financial people.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;So, it was necessary for the industry first just to survive.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Insisting that mobile data in Nigeria remains among the cheapest globally, Toriola challenged critics and industry observers to compare local pricing with rates obtainable in other African countries and international markets.<\/p>\n<p>He stated: \u201cGo and check in Kenya, go and check in Congo, go and check across the world, and tell me if you are not going to conclude that data in Nigeria is one of the cheapest in the world.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Broader adoption of fibre Broadband infrastructure could eventually provide consumers with more affordable and near-unlimited Internet access.<\/p>\n<p>Fibre networks are better suited to support heavy data consumption than mobile networks, he noted.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>*Nigerian network operators and telecoms industry stakeholders address growing concerns over absence of unlimited mobile data plans, data depletion cum end to data expiration, and&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":599,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_FSMCFIC_featured_image_caption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_nocaption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_hide":"","_customify_content_layout":"","_customify_sidebar":"","_customify_page_header_display":"default","_customify_disable_header":"","_customify_disable_header_top":"","_customify_disable_header_main":"","_customify_disable_header_bottom":"","_customify_disable_page_title":"","_customify_disable_content_vertical_padding":"","_customify_disable_footer_top":"","_customify_disable_footer_main":"","_customify_disable_footer_bottom":"","_customify_breadcrumb_display":"","_customify_header_transparent_display":"default","footnotes":""},"categories":[20,15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1617","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-highlights","category-special-report"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/NCC-and-MNOs-Telcos-Telecoms-Companies-cc.png",634,335,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/NCC-and-MNOs-Telcos-Telecoms-Companies-cc-150x150.png",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/NCC-and-MNOs-Telcos-Telecoms-Companies-cc-300x159.png",300,159,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/NCC-and-MNOs-Telcos-Telecoms-Companies-cc.png",634,335,false],"large":["https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/NCC-and-MNOs-Telcos-Telecoms-Companies-cc.png",634,335,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/NCC-and-MNOs-Telcos-Telecoms-Companies-cc.png",634,335,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/NCC-and-MNOs-Telcos-Telecoms-Companies-cc.png",634,335,false]},"author_info":{"info":["ConsumerConnect"]},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/?cat=20\" rel=\"category\">Highlights<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/?cat=15\" rel=\"category\">Special Report<\/a>","tag_info":"Special 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