Shocking! Reasons for fast data depletion now revealed

• Customers of telecom companies are asking for an probe into what they telephone inexplicable information consumption
• They are sending emails and nonstop messages to acrophobic regulators, FCCPC and the Nigerian Communications Commission
• Operators, however, asserted that the summation successful depletion is owed to idiosyncratic behavior, peculiarly the displacement from 3G and 4G to 5G

Legit.ng writer Zainab Iwayemi has 5-year-experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market.

Telecom customers are requesting a probe into what they notation to arsenic inexplicable information depletion done emails and nonstop messages sent to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and the Nigerian Communications Commission.

Telecom operators said information usage has people increased. Photo Credit: Contributor
Source: UGC

Operators support that determination is nary mode to chopped down connected customers' information usage, claiming that idiosyncratic behavior—specifically, the modulation from 3G and 4G to 5G and the emergence successful video streaming habits—is to blasted for the rising consumption.

The quality arose aft the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy was encouraged by the Nigerian Senate to enactment with operators to measure information and internet-related work costs.

Although concerns implicit information depletion person persisted successful caller years, the concern has gotten worse since a 50% tariff increase connected information and telephone charges was implemented successful February.

The lawsuit enactment departments of immoderate of these operators interacted with irate clients connected societal media implicit the weekend, providing proposal connected information management.

“Data prices are excessively precocious these days. Every Nigerian should study the operators to NCC, FCCPC, and nonstop them thousands of emails; otherwise, this terms hike won’t stop,” 1 of the customers said.“Not lone has information go much expensive, but it besides seems to deplete faster than before. This is unacceptable,” different idiosyncratic complained.

In January 2025, Nigeria's net usage surpassed 1 cardinal terabytes for the archetypal time, underscoring the country's increasing reliance connected integer transportation and the soaring request for online services.

Messages were nevertheless not answered by the regulator's spokesperson.

An enforcement astatine a large telecom operator, who was not permitted to speech connected the topic, said that arsenic much consumers displacement to 5G, information usage has people increased—just arsenic it did erstwhile the industry transitioned from 2G to 3G and from 3G to 4G.

“5G is expanding, and we are seeing much radical determination from 4G to 5G. The aforesaid inclination happened erstwhile we transitioned betwixt erstwhile web generations. The world is that arsenic radical entree faster internet, they devour much data,” the authoritative told The PUNCH during a telephone chat.

In January 2025, Nigeria's net usage surpassed 1 cardinal terabytes for the archetypal time. Photo Credit: Conteibutor
Source: Getty Images

NCC takes action

In July 2024, the NCC required telecom operators to simplify tariff plans, supply wide billing information, and behaviour autarkic audits of their systems to code information depletion complaints. The Punch reported that truthful far, nary of the operators person been recovered wanting by the regulator arsenic of the clip of penning this report.

Telcos are besides arguing that information quantities are standardised globally, meaning that 1GB successful Nigeria is the aforesaid arsenic 1GB anyplace other successful the world. The difference, they say, comes from however users devour their data.

“There’s nary quality successful the quantity of data, whether you’re successful Nigeria, the US, oregon Europe. What changes is however radical usage it. If you’re streaming a batch oregon downloading ample files, your information volition spell faster. But there’s nary mode for america to conscionable deplete it connected our own,” different telecom insider explained.

2 cardinal caller subscribers recorded

Legit.ng reported that amid the summation successful information costs, net usage adoption successful Nigeria is inactive surging and 2.5 cardinal caller subscribers have been recorded successful 1 month.

Data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) reveals that much than 2.5 cardinal caller users joined the broadband subscription betwixt December 2024 and January 2025.

Active subscribers accrued from 96.32 cardinal successful December 2024, to 98.87 cardinal successful January 2025, marking a maturation from 44.43% to 45.61% net adoption complaint successful Nigeria.

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Source: Legit.ng