MTN Nigeria is facing fresh backlash from subscribers. A suspected system glitch produced wildly inflated data usage figures. As a result, the network has reignited long-running complaints about billing transparency.
The controversy erupted on Thursday, August 13. Bashir Ahmad, a former aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, took to X to call out the network. According to Ahmad, MTN’s daily SMS report claimed he used 58.83 gigabytes of data in a single day, on Tuesday, August 11.
He insisted the figure made no sense. His phone, he said, automatically switches to Wi-Fi whenever he is at home. He also noted that he had not done any heavy data activity that day.
Ahmad tagged the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission in his post. He demanded answers. In response, MTN sent him a breakdown of the disputed consumption.
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The report attributed nearly 35GB to iCloud storage and Apple iCloud syncing alone. Another 10GB was tagged as encrypted app traffic. This category typically covers VPNs, Apple Private Relay, and other encrypted sessions. Neither the operator nor the subscriber can fully trace where that traffic comes from.
Still, the explanation did little to calm the storm. A closer look at complaints posted between Tuesday and Thursday revealed a clearer pattern. MTN’s system had first issued an inflated data report for August 11. It then followed up with a second message labelled as a corrected usage figure for the same date.
That sequence strengthened suspicions of a technical error. Critics believe the system may have made a timeframe miscalculation. In such a case, it could have bundled several days, or even weeks, of usage into a single daily report.
This is not the first time MTN has had to defend its billing systems. In June, the operator held a public session titled Data on Trial. There, it denied any billing glitch or data theft. The company said its systems had been independently reviewed by KPMG.
At that event, CEO Karl Toriola offered an explanation. He said the shift to 4G and 5G networks, combined with high-definition default settings on newer smartphones, naturally drives up data consumption. He also pointed to background cloud backups and continuous WhatsApp syncing as major, often unnoticed, contributors to fast bundle depletion. Notably, Toriola admitted that even some MTN executives had lodged similar complaints of their own.
The timing of this latest episode adds to the pressure. It comes as Nigerians continue to grapple with the fallout of a 50 percent tariff hike. Meanwhile, MTN posted a profit of 707 billion naira for the first half of 2026, a 70 percent jump driven largely by rising data revenue. For subscribers already stretched thin economically, the optics of a profit surge alongside unexplained usage spikes have only deepened distrust.
So what can subscribers do? Analysts recommend cross-checking a device’s built-in data tracker against the operator’s reported figures. It also helps to monitor whether an account balance actually reflects the disputed consumption.
Until telecom operators like MTN can offer real-time, verifiable proof of where every megabyte goes, industry watchers say, every technical hiccup will likely spark public outrage rather than patience. MTN Nigeria has yet to issue a formal public statement specifically addressing the August 11 reporting error. However, the company has previously maintained that its billing infrastructure undergoes regular independent audits.
