…urges Nigerians to optimise phone settings to curb data use
MTN Nigeria said video streaming, automatic downloads and social media use contributed to rapid data consumption, urging Nigerians to optimise phone settings to curb quick exhaustion.
Mike Ndukwe, general manager, Network Performance and Quality Assurance at MTN Nigeria, said a 15-second TikTok video could consume between two megabytes (MB) and 20MB, depending on its resolution.
According to Ndukwe, the same video could consume about two to three megabytes in standard definition, compared with up to 15MB or more in high definition, depending on the content and settings.
“The request itself uses less than one MB. Where data is used is when TikTok delivers the video to you, and it actually depends on the resolution of the video,” he said.
He said 4G and 5G networks enabled higher-resolution video streaming, which could increase data consumption when applications automatically selected higher picture quality.
Ndukwe advised subscribers to enable data-saving features, reduce video resolution and disable automatic playback where possible.
He also identified WhatsApp group chats, status updates, automatic media downloads and chat backups as sources of data consumption.
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According to him, media files shared in multiple WhatsApp groups could consume data when they downloaded automatically, even if subscribers did not deliberately open them.
He advised users to disable automatic media downloads, restrict background data usage and configure applications to download large files only when connected to Wi-Fi.
MTN provides data-usage information and alerts through its MyMTN application to help subscribers monitor their consumption, Ndukwe said.
He added that the company offered MTN FiberX as an unlimited data option for customers with high data requirements, subject to applicable terms and conditions.
Peter Akpatason, chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Communications, said the initiative would help consumers understand data consumption and address misconceptions about the telecommunications industry.
Akpatason acknowledged the investment required to operate telecommunications networks but said further investment was needed to improve service quality.
Ndukwe said data depletion generally resulted from users’ online activities or phone settings.
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“We’re not stealing your data. However, we completely understand how it feels, especially right now, where every naira counts. But the honest answer is that data is not taken without an action, either your action or your phone,” he said.
We spent N4.05trn on power in 2025 – MTN CEO
MTN Nigeria says it spent about N4.05 trillion on power alone in 2025, citing electricity and infrastructure costs as factors affecting telecommunications operations, as it urged subscribers to optimise their phone settings to reduce data consumption.
Karl Toriola, chief executive officer of MTN Nigeria, said operators incurred costs providing electricity, transportation and other infrastructure needed to maintain telecommunications sites.
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Speaking at the company’s Data on Trial event in Abuja on Monday, Toriola said these costs should be considered in discussions about data prices in Nigeria compared with other countries.
“In this country, as well as some other African countries, we are providing power and transportation to all of our sites. The cost of electricity, for instance, is higher here than in the UK,” he said.
He said Nigerian operators used telecommunications equipment and technologies similar to those deployed in Europe and the United States, including fourth-generation (4G) and fifth-generation (5G) networks.
Toriola said the event was designed to help consumers understand how phone settings, online activities and application preferences affected data consumption.
