House of Representatives Communications Committee Chairman Peter Akpatason and telecommunications experts have identified network operating costs, video streaming quality, background applications and differences in data measurement as factors contributing to subscribers’ concerns over rapid data depletion and internet costs in Nigeria.
The issues were examined in Abuja at an event tagged Data on Trial, which brought together the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), legal practitioners and information technology specialists to investigate why consumers often exhaust their internet subscriptions sooner than anticipated.
Akpatason said the discussions challenged several longstanding assumptions about telecommunications services, including the perception that data subscriptions in Nigeria are more expensive than those in other African countries and other parts of the world.
He added that subscribers could take certain precautionary measures to avoid losing unused data under applicable conditions, stressing the importance of understanding how data packages work.
“I have actually had such an impression in the past. Sometimes you begin to wonder, how did this go? But at the end of the day, you discover that you could have done better,” he said.
On investment in the telecommunications sector, the lawmaker said the industry had attracted significant funding but maintained that additional capital was necessary to improve service delivery and expand its capacity.
“There is a lot of investment in this sector. Apart from the oil sector, I think telecoms is the next in this country. There is room for more investment, and I will advise our people to continue to invest in the industry.”
Meanwhile, MTN Nigeria Chief Executive Officer Karl Toriola linked the perception of expensive data subscriptions to the high cost of powering telecommunications infrastructure and transporting equipment and personnel to network sites.
Earlier, the event’s Head Prosecutor for subscribers, Ekito Labo-Albert, challenged telecommunications operators over complaints of unexpectedly rapid data depletion, warning that unreliable services had cost some Nigerians important opportunities.
Labo-Albert called for stronger consumer education and more reliable network services, arguing that subscribers deserved clear and accurate information about the products they purchased.
Citing provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, he said consumers were entitled to safety, adequate information and the freedom to choose the services they wished to use.
“They have the right to proper information. They have the right to freedom of choice to choose whether they want to consume this one or that one,” he said.
He also questioned whether affected subscribers would receive compensation when unexpected data consumption disrupted their activities or caused financial losses.
“My major question is: Will there be remediation today after data has been found to be guilty?” Labo-Albert asked, expressing hope that the discussions would produce practical remedies for consumers affected by data-related problems.
Information technology expert Michael Ndukwe, in his presentation, explained that both technical differences and everyday internet habits could influence how quickly subscribers use their data allowances.
He noted that devices and network operators might calculate data consumption differently because of variations in converting bytes into megabytes and gigabytes. Depending on the quantities involved and the rounding methods applied, these differences could produce discrepancies of about two per cent or between 12 and 13 per cent as data volumes increase.
Ndukwe also explained that data sessions could extend across different billing periods, meaning that the time an online activity begins may not, on its own, provide a complete picture of when the associated data usage is recorded.
Video streaming was another major contributor to high data consumption, he said, pointing out that platforms such as Netflix and YouTube use varying amounts of data depending on the selected resolution, including standard definition (SD), high definition (HD) and 4K.
He warned that smart televisions and other modern devices could automatically increase video quality to deliver smoother playback and minimise buffering, potentially consuming more data without users actively changing their settings.
Background applications were also identified as a source of unnoticed consumption, as some continue to access the internet and transfer data even when subscribers are not actively using them.
To reduce unnecessary usage, Ndukwe advised consumers to review application permissions, adjust streaming quality and restrict background data access where necessary.
He further observed that faster internet connections could enable users to consume larger volumes of data within shorter periods. While technologies such as 3G and 4G influence connection speed and user experience, the amount of data consumed also depends on the activities performed online.
For subscribers using shared Wi-Fi networks, he recommended monitoring connected devices and deploying available data-management tools to prevent excessive usage.
The discussions highlighted the need for greater transparency from telecommunications operators, improved consumer awareness and more effective data-management practices to address persistent complaints about internet subscriptions in Nigeria.
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