On Thursday, 28 August, the Abdullahi Mahadi Conference Centre at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, was transformed into a court of scrutiny as MTN Nigeria took its data services before a jury of students as part of its “Data on Trial” initiative, an interactive session designed to demystify how mobile data works and address long-standing customer frustrations.
The session adopted a courtroom-style format, with students from the Faculty of Law and Engineering serving as the prosecution while MTN staff made up the defence team. Lawyer and media personality Timi Agbaje presided over and hosted the session, using the courtroom concept to create a lively but substantive conversation in which students could put their everyday experiences on the stand and demand answers from MTN.
Students raised questions around the quality and consistency of connections. They also questioned the affordability of data in the current economic climate, why data prices continue to change, why automatic refunds may not always follow service outages and rapid data consumption.
The MTN defence team responded to the questions while educating students on the different factors that influence data consumption and practical ways users can monitor and manage their usage. The conversation also challenged some common assumptions around rapidly depleting data. Students were shown how activities such as video streaming, social media use, background applications, automatic updates and other processes on smartphones can contribute to data consumption. Students were educated on built-in OS tools, the MyMTN app, and usage calculators to audit device consumption in real time.
Reactions following the trial highlighted a clear shift in student perspectives. Abdullahi Omeiza, a 500-level Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering student, noted, “I used to feel services weren’t as efficient because 2GB barely lasts two days anymore. But after understanding how visual quality upgrades and background processes demand more data to run smoothly, I now see why it feels like data runs out so fast.”
Hamdalah, a 300-level Computer Science student echoed this sentiment. “I learned that fast data depletion isn’t the network stealing from us, it comes down to our phone habits. Streaming apps like TikTok, background refreshes, and automatic updates consume a lot, but now I know practical ways to monitor and manage my data better.”
This campus engagement builds directly on the company’s broader transparency drive launched at the flagship Lagos event, where MTN Nigeria CEO, Dr. Karl Toriola emphasized the company’s dedication to radical openness:
“We are not asking customers to trust us blindly. We want them to see the evidence and understand exactly how data is consumed. What we are saying authoritatively is we will never deliberately shortchange you on the consumption of your data.”
The session combined accountability with education, reflecting MTN’s broader push for transparency with its customer base, particularly younger, tech-engaged Nigerians on university campuses.
“Our Data Isn’t Finishing Magically” — Students React to MTN’s Data on Trial Session
For students at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, MTN’s Data on Trial session offered more than an opportunity to ask questions. It gave them a new perspective on what happens behind the scenes when they use mobile data and encouraged them to look beyond the assumption that rapid data depletion automatically means something is wrong with the network or the service provider.
500-level, Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering student Abdullahi Omeiza, said his key takeaway was understanding that several processes happen between a phone and a network provider to deliver the internet experience users expect. He noted that the interaction between devices, network services and increasingly demanding digital content can contribute to how quickly data is consumed.
He also reflected on his previous perception that data did not last as long as it used to. After the session, however, he said he better understood that improvements in phones, video and visual quality and other digital services can require more data to deliver a smoother experience. “I’ve gotten to understand that as things change, and phones and visual quality upgrades, it demands more data to make these services work smoothly.”
Another student, Beracah, 400-level, Political Science said the session helped dispel some assumptions she previously had about data usage and MTN. Among her key learnings was the ability to track data usage directly on a phone and understand some of the external factors that can affect network performance.
“Most importantly, our data isn’t finishing magically,” she noted, adding that the session changed her earlier perception that MTN simply increased data prices without explanation or did not care about its customers. She said the experience gave her a better understanding of MTN’s approach to transparency and accountability. ‘’With the Data on trial session, I got to know that MTN promotes transparency and accountability,” she added.
300-level Computer Science Student, Hamdalah similarly said the session helped her understand that rapidly depleted data is not necessarily a case of a network provider “stealing” data. She learnt that activities such as TikTok and other streaming platforms, background applications and automatic updates can significantly affect consumption. She also gained practical knowledge on how to monitor and manage her data usage. ‘’I learnt that apps like TikTok and other streaming platforms can consume a lot of data, alongside background apps and automatic updates in my phone I also learnt practical ways to monitor my data usage and manage it better,” she said.
For Toyo, a 400-level student of Educational Administration and Planning, the biggest takeaway was discovering the number of activities running in the background on a phone that can consume data without the user immediately noticing. While she said she had not yet had enough time to monitor her usage closely after the session, she acknowledged that the experience had given her more knowledge about MTN and its data services.
The session combined accountability with education, reflecting MTN’s broader push for transparency with its customer base, particularly younger, tech-engaged Nigerians on university campuses.