By Prince Osuagwu, Hi-Tech Editor

Genevieve, a top Nigerian female journalist was recently travelling to China on an official assignment.

The mother of three needed not only to file stories home from there, but also to get in touch with hubby and the children.

She decided to invest a whopping N50,000 in Mobile data subscription.

Her mind was that if she couldn’t make a network call home due to the high roaming charges, she could, at least, do so on WhatsApp or other Virtual Private Network, VPN applicataions, as long as enough data was on her mobile phone.

Surprisingly, all that, ended up just wishful thinking, because, before she hit the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, where she was to board the flight to China, the data had vanished like a sweet smoothie sucked with a big-sized straw.

She told this reporter, that her problem was compounded by different and complicated responses from the customer care agents of her network provider to several of her calls seeking explanations.

She said while some blamed her roaming package, others claimed that different mobile applications, including those from China; enabled by her roaming network, were running on her phone and caused the fast depletion of her mobile data.

What is Mobile data?

Mobile data is the internet service provided by a Mobile Network Operator to allow a subscriber go online without using Wireless Fidelity, Wi-Fi.

It allows a user to browse websites, use social media, watch videos, send emails, use apps online navigation and carry out online banking

Data depletion?

An anomaly which sees the mobile data of a subscriber running faster than expected speed and exhausting earlier than the user had imagined.

Hear Genevieve: “As I am talking to you, I am more confused by the complicated responses of these robot-like customer service agents who are more interested in regurgitating pre-loaded messages on their brains than looking critically at my complaints in order to give real life solutions. “How can one tell me it’s roaming charges in one breath and another said it’s some China apps running on my phone; when I am not yet in China?

And, if that is possible, the apps just gulped N50k in less than an hour?,” she queried.

Persistent complaints:

Genevieve’s story sounds like a fairy tale, but sadly, it’s a reality that echoes across homes and small businesses in the country.

Persistent complaints of data depletion are recurrent on the tables of the regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC and the Telecom operators, including MTN, Airtel, Globacom and even 9Mobile, now T2Mobile.

Although both the regulator and the telcos have always claimed to be innocent to any form of manipulation to users’ data packages, subscribers appear to feel that all the truth is not on the table.

This time around, they are threatening to carry out a class action, saying, even if it will at the end, hurt their comfort, let it just send a message that there is life beyond mobile data.

The danger in this kind of threat, is that the $1 billion investment gain the NCC announced recently that the sector made after a marginal increase on Telecom tariffs, could be at risk.

Subscription apathy to Telecom services, no matter how insignificant, will surely erode gains and diminish industry growth.

Sector’s data revenue at risk

In just the first half of 2025, reliable figures showed that MTN and Airtel combined to make N2.53 trillion data revenues out of the sector’s gains within the time under review

Out of that sum, MTN alone accounted for N1.23 trn in data services, representing a 69.2% increase from the previous year.

These are the statistics that could be on the stakes if the subscribers carry out their threat .

Class Action

Chinaza Asonye, a 300 level student of University of Lagos, UNILAG said: “In Nigeria today, buying a data bundle feels like pouring water into a basket. The frustration of seeing hard-earned airtime vanish within hours is unbearable.

“My 2Gigabyte data package never lasts beyond a day. I am spending most of my allowance on data for lectures and online research. Yet, it feels like I’m paying for nothing because I never get to do much before the data vanishes. I am reviewing my relationship with my service provider. If I can live without data for a while; and, I am sure, I can, maybe, it’s time to give it a trial” she muttered in anger.

Fatima Oladele, an online fashion vendor, confessed that she spends more on data than she earns.

She said: “I use Instagram for business, but uploading photos and chatting with customers drains my data the way it ordinarily shouldn’t. I can’t pin anything on my service provider, but I also can’t swear everything is normal. Sometimes I wonder if it’s worth running my shop online.”

The cry against speedy exhaustion of data packages has become generic that even families using and offices using internet routers are not also spared.

At a football training session in FHA complex in Festac Town, Lagos, at the weekend, the debate whether telcos were culpable or not in the magical way data packages exhaust saw a resident, Mr Sunday Ejimofor, a widower and father of three, complaining bitterly that the 10Gigabytes of data he subscribes to, every month, only serves his children less than two weeks, to watch cartoons. “I subscribe to a data package of N10K, every month but my children exhaust it in less than two weeks watching only cartoons. Whether it is the volume of cartoons they watch or that I don’t get the value of N10K worth of data, the issue is that it’s choking me, and I am about to review our entire data enabled lifestyle” he said.

If this problem is creating tensions in urban cities, it is wreaking havoc to the digital lives of people living in rural and remote areas, thereby widening the digital divide.

Faith Oghenekharo, a corps member serving in Enugu, told Vanguard that most villagers are now avoiding WhatsApp groups meant for community meetings, because of the way their data subscriptions are exhausted.

NATCOMS pitch tent with subscribers

Reacting to the echoes, the President of National Association of Telecoms Subscribers in Nigeria, NATCOMS, Chief Deolu Ogubanjo described the situation as a delicate balance and sought a strategic marketing solution to tame the tide.

He said: “The echoes of data depletion have refused to die, and rightly so, because, the subscribers are at the receiving end.

“I cannot in good conscience say the telcos are manipulating data usage but I also cannot dismiss the hurting of my members.

“I feel that just like the telcos mounted pressure recently to get the attention of the regulator to adjust their tariffs, they in turn should give attention to their subscribers by providing a strategic marketing solution to this delicate balance. “Some data incentives, cost reductions could be all that is needed , and NCC must ensure this happens. Otherwise, I stand with my members” he added.

Telcos dismiss data manipulation claims

However, in a quick reaction the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria, ALTON, which serves as the umbrella body of all the telcos in Nigeria, feels that the hard choice the subscribers are contemplating to make is not only unnecessary but also primitive.

Chairman of the Association, Engr Gbenga Adebayo said the telcos already have several data incentives which the subscribers have already been enjoying. He advised them to try hard to understand data management in the age of 5G, Artificial Intelligence and robust, modern Telecom equipments which ensure intuitive and speedy services delivery.

For him, the services are becoming smooth and intuitive due to modern equipment at the disposal of the telcos.

“No one is stealing any data and studies have clearly shown no operator can do that.

What has been discovered is that the smartphone is smarter than some of the users.

However, we have run campaigns to guide subscribers on how to better manage their data usage and we will intensify these efforts.

“We are also working on more transparent tools and easy to use dashboards to help customers track and control their data. Our goal remains affordable, reliable and transparent services” he added

Data manipulation allegations

On the allegations that some telcos could be involved in underhand data practices, another top executive of a top mobile network who pleaded anonymity, Corroborated Adebayo: “Nobody expects data not to run in the era of mobile phones with intuitive user interfaces that enable multitasking. It’s just simple mathematics.

No mobile network operator can deliberately manipulate subscriber data to make it appear faster than expected. Instead, he pointed to factors like background app activity, high-resolution content, device settings, and increased data consumption on faster networks as reasons for perceived rapid data usage.

He described these as genuine technical and non-technical causes outside operators’ direct control.

“ Subscribers should understand that intuitive service delivery promotes more user engagements with services which in turn attract more costs”.

Why data runs fast

Meanwhile, Vanguard checks have also revealed that truly, several technical factors can induce rapid mobile data usage.

They include:

Background Data Consumption: Many apps, including social media platforms and operating systems, use data for automatic updates, notifications, and location services even when not actively in use.

High-Resolution Content: The growing popularity of high-definition streaming, online gaming, and video calls on 4G and 5G networks naturally consumes significantly more data.

Device Settings: Settings like autoplay videos on social media platforms can lead to higher data consumption without the user’s direct action.

Malware and Ads: Malicious software and in-app advertisements can covertly consume data, depleting a user’s data allowance without their knowledge.

New Apps: Newly installed apps can have aggressive default settings that increase data usage for background syncing or media playback.

NCC hammers on subscriber awareness

Repeatedly, the NCC has advocated for massive data usage awareness campaigns in addition to the tips on its websites on how subscribers can navigate the costly trend.

It has consistently called on Telecom sector advocacy groups like NATCOMS, ALTON and ATCON among others to help in spreading the message

At a sensitization programme in Lagos recently, the Commission called on National Youth Corpers nationwide to become Consumer Champions.

Director of the Commission’s Consumer Affairs Bureau, Mrs. Freda Bruce-Bennett, argued that young people, educated, mobile, and socially connected, are uniquely positioned to lead change.

She charged at the Corpers to raise their voices in spreading awareness about consumer rights, teaching smarter data management, and reporting challenges to the regulators.

She said: “The goal is simple but powerful: ensure that Nigerians do not just have access to telecom services, but also enjoy fairness, transparency, and quality.

“Your voices matter. Your experiences shape policy and your participation drives progress,” she challenged them.

Data management tips from NCC

Meanwhile, on its websites, the regulator had pasted a few tips to guide users against falling victim of faster data consumption.

They include: Monitoring Data Usage by one consistently check his or her data usage regularly using the phone’s built-in trackers or third-party apps to see which apps consume the most data.

Others are:

Use Wi-Fi:

Connect to trusted Wi-Fi networks at home, work, or public hotspots to save mobile data.

Restrict Background Data:

Prevent apps from using data in the background by disabling background data for non-essential applications.

Disable Automatic Updates:

Turn off automatic software, app, and multimedia downloads so they only occur when you are on Wi-Fi.

Use Data-Saving Modes:

Activate the data-saving or compression modes found in many browsers and apps to reduce the amount of data loaded.

Download for Offline Use:

Download content, such as maps and media, while on Wi-Fi for later offline access.

Data & Privacy protection

Create Strong and unique passwords for your accounts and change them regularly to enhance security.

Install Security Software:

Install antivirus and anti-malware protection to create a security layer for your devices.

Keep Software Updated:

Regularly update your device’s software to patch vulnerabilities and improve security.

Manage Permissions and Firewalls:

Review and update app permissions to ensure only necessary access is granted, and keep your firewall settings enabled.

Turn off Bluetooth:

Disable Bluetooth when not in use to prevent potential malicious activities or unauthorized access.

Secure Your Device:

Always lock your phone or laptop when not in use to protect against physical access and unauthorized use.

Why data depletion argument should be balanced

As Nigeria deepens its digital economy, many tech sector practitioners, believe that the fight against data depletion should not just be about megabytes and gigabytes.

It should be mostly about fairness for students struggling to learn, dignity for families stretched thin, and opportunity for small businesses that live or die online.