MTN CEO Explains Why Unlimited Mobile Data Is Not Sustainable in Nigeria

Lagos, Nigeria – Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola, has dismissed growing calls for unlimited mobile data plans in Nigeria, arguing that the economics of mobile network operations make such offerings unsustainable at the price levels most consumers expect.

Speaking during MTN Nigeria’s “Data on Trial” media engagement in Lagos, Toriola said no mobile network operator anywhere in the world can provide truly unlimited data at low prices while maintaining the quality of service customers demand.

His remarks come amid increasing consumer concerns over data affordability and persistent calls for telecom operators to introduce unlimited internet packages as smartphone usage and digital consumption continue to rise across Nigeria.

Why Unlimited Data Is Difficult on Mobile Networks

According to Toriola, the challenge lies in the finite capacity of mobile networks and the enormous investment required to continuously expand infrastructure to meet growing demand.

“The issue of unlimited data on mobile networks does not exist anywhere in the world, except perhaps where customers are paying extremely high monthly fees. What exists are high-volume bundles accompanied by fair usage policies,” he explained.

He noted that unlike fixed broadband networks, mobile telecommunications infrastructure operates within capacity limitations that make unrestricted usage by millions of subscribers impractical.

“On mobile networks, there is always a limit because you can never build enough capacity for everyone to be on an unlimited bundle and still expect to provide quality service that remains reliable and efficient,” Toriola said.

Balancing Affordability and Network Quality

The MTN CEO emphasized that telecommunications operators must strike a delicate balance between affordability and the investments required to sustain network performance.

Drawing a comparison with the aviation industry, he argued that artificially low pricing for high-capacity services ultimately undermines the sustainability of the entire sector.

“If you decide to give everybody in Nigeria unlimited local air tickets for N200,000 a month, do you think the airline industry will survive? It won’t. The economics simply don’t work that way,” he said.

According to him, offering unlimited mobile data at low prices would significantly reduce operators’ ability to invest in network expansion, spectrum acquisition, fibre infrastructure, and emerging technologies needed to support increasing data demand.

“We cannot provide unlimited access in the way many people desire and still build the networks required to deliver quality service. That is the reality of the business,” he added.

MTN Opens Its Network to Public Scrutiny

Toriola’s comments come as MTN Nigeria seeks to address recurring consumer complaints regarding data consumption and billing transparency.

As part of the initiative tagged “Data on Trial,” the company invited customers, journalists, industry analysts, and stakeholders to independently examine how data is consumed and billed on its network.

The programme was designed to provide greater transparency around data usage while giving consumers an opportunity to engage directly with MTN’s technical teams and raise concerns about perceived data depletion.

Consumer Education Remains Critical

Speaking at the same event, MTN Nigeria’s Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer, Tobe Okigbo, said the company is committed to understanding the root causes of customer complaints.

According to him, the exercise aims to determine whether concerns around rapid data depletion stem from technical issues, evolving user behaviour, increasing application data consumption, or gaps in consumer understanding of how modern digital services utilise data.

Industry analysts note that the rapid growth of video streaming, cloud applications, social media platforms, automatic software updates, artificial intelligence-powered services, and high-definition content has significantly increased average data consumption among mobile users in recent years.

As Nigeria’s digital economy continues to expand, operators face mounting pressure to improve affordability while simultaneously investing billions of naira in network upgrades, broadband infrastructure, and next-generation technologies needed to support growing demand.

For telecom operators, the challenge remains finding a sustainable balance between consumer expectations, service quality, and the substantial infrastructure investments required to keep Nigeria connected.