MTN Nigeria has revealed that it invested N900 billion in expanding and maintaining its network infrastructure in 2025 and plans to spend more than N1 trillion in 2026 as it seeks to improve service quality and meet growing demand for internet and telecom services.
The announcement was made by the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola, during a stakeholder engagement event in Lagos focused on internet data usage. The event, themed “Data on Trial,” brought together customers, regulators, content creators, and industry stakeholders for discussions on data consumption, pricing, and network challenges.
Toriola explained that the recent increase in telecom tariffs was necessary to keep both MTN and the wider telecommunications industry financially stable. According to him, the sector had been under significant pressure before the tariff adjustment was approved.
He stated that MTN was struggling to meet essential operational expenses, including diesel costs, site rentals, and software licensing fees. The company’s financial position had become so difficult that it was technically insolvent, meaning its liabilities exceeded its assets.
According to the MTN boss, without the tariff increase, network operations could have been severely disrupted or even shut down. He stressed that the adjustment was primarily aimed at ensuring the survival of the telecom industry and creating room for continued investment in infrastructure.
Toriola disclosed that MTN invested N900 billion in 2025 and intends to surpass that figure this year with planned investments exceeding N1 trillion. He noted that the company spends more on network expansion and maintenance than it generates in profit, highlighting the high cost of operating telecommunications infrastructure in Nigeria.
He also pointed to several external challenges affecting service delivery. These include vandalism of telecom facilities, insecurity around network sites, and disruptions caused by criminal activities. According to him, damage to telecom infrastructure can affect thousands or even millions of subscribers, leading to service interruptions.
Despite these difficulties, Toriola maintained that MTN continues to provide services that meet international standards and remains committed to improving network quality across the country.
Addressing concerns about internet data costs, he argued that unlimited data packages are not sustainable because telecom operators must continuously invest in network capacity to support growing internet usage. He also stated that, compared to many other countries, Nigeria still offers some of the most affordable mobile data rates globally, even after the tariff review.
Speaking at the event, MTN’s Chief Customer Relations and Experience Officer, Ugonwa Nwonye, said the company aims to help customers better understand how data is consumed. She revealed that MTN has developed a data calculator and a personalised data dashboard that will allow subscribers to monitor how much data is being used by different applications.
Nwonye explained that video-streaming platforms such as TikTok are among the biggest consumers of mobile data. She added that factors such as video quality settings, automatic cloud backups, and background app activity often contribute to faster data depletion than users realise.
The company plans to roll out the customer education campaign across Nigeria over the next six months to improve awareness of data management and usage patterns.
MTN’s Chief Marketing Officer, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, said the initiative was created to address long-standing customer concerns about data depletion, transparency, and subscription management. She noted that the company currently serves more than 87 million subscribers nationwide.
One of the attendees, popular content creator Yemisi Odusanya, widely known as Sisi Yemmie, admitted that she initially attended the event frustrated about what she believed was rapid data depletion. However, after listening to the explanations provided by MTN representatives, she said she gained a better understanding of how multiple devices and applications consume data and planned to adjust her device settings accordingly.
The event also featured contributions from several digital creators and influencers, including Peller, Jarvis, Fisayo Fosudo, and Timi Agbaje, who engaged MTN officials on issues relating to internet costs, data usage, and customer experience.
