MTN Nigeria Advises Users on Phone Settings to Cut Data Usage

MTN Nigeria, a major telecommunications company, is urging its customers to change their phone settings and keep an eye on how they use apps to help reduce data use. This advice came from Karl Toriola, the company’s Chief Executive Officer, during a recent event called “Data on Trial” held in Abuja.

The event aimed to address concerns from consumers about data consumption and costs. Toriola explained that running a telecommunications network involves significant expenses for electricity, transport, and other infrastructure. He noted that MTN spent around ₦4.05 trillion on power in the last year.

Toriola pointed out that while data might seem more expensive in Nigeria, similar costs are seen in other countries. He mentioned that the cost of electricity is higher in Nigeria than in the UK, despite using similar technology for mobile networks.

Mike Ndukwe, MTN’s General Manager for Network Performance, highlighted that activities like video streaming and social media use can quickly eat up data. For example, a short TikTok video can use between 2 MB and 20 MB of data, depending on its quality. He warned that using high-definition videos can lead to even more data consumption.

Ndukwe suggested several ways for subscribers to save data. He recommended turning off automatic downloads, limiting background data, and only downloading large files when connected to Wi-Fi. He also advised using data-saving features on apps like TikTok.

MTN provides tools through its MyMTN app that help users track their data usage and receive alerts. For those who need a lot of data, MTN offers an unlimited option called MTN FiberX, although conditions apply.

Peter Akpatason, the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Communications, praised the initiative for helping the public understand data consumption better. He acknowledged the need for more investment to improve service quality in the telecommunications sector.