The Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola, has defended the cost of mobile data in the country, insisting that Nigeria remains one of the countries with the cheapest data rates in the world despite the recent tariff increase.
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Toriola spoke on Saturday at the MTN Data Trial conference in Lagos, where he dismissed claims that telecommunications operators were overcharging subscribers.
According to him, data prices in Nigeria remain low when compared with what obtains in several other African countries and other parts of the world.
“Look at the price at which we sell bundles of data. Then go and check in Kenya, Congo and other countries across the world, and tell me if data in Nigeria is not among the four cheapest in the world,” he said.
Toriola added that although Ghana also offers relatively affordable data services, Nigerian telecom operators, including MTN and its competitors, continue to provide some of the cheapest data packages globally even after the recent tariff adjustment.
Telecommunications companies have faced criticism from subscribers following the tariff review approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission in January 2025.
The NCC had approved a 50 per cent increase in telecom tariffs, the first major adjustment since 2013, citing rising operational costs and the need to sustain investment in network infrastructure and service delivery.
The commission said the approved increase was lower than the over 100 per cent hike requested by some operators and was intended to ensure the long-term sustainability of the telecommunications sector.
According to the regulator, the adjustment would enable operators to continue investing in infrastructure, innovation, network expansion, improved service quality, customer experience and wider coverage.
However, the tariff hike drew criticism from consumers and labour groups, including the Nigeria Labour Congress, which described the decision as insensitive and an additional burden on workers and ordinary Nigerians already facing economic hardship.
Despite the backlash, telecom operators have maintained that higher tariffs are necessary to offset rising operating expenses and support continued investment in the sector.
Toriola insisted that, even with the increase, Nigeria’s mobile data market remains one of the most affordable globally.
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