₦airaland Forum

The Chief Executive Officer of MTN Ghana, Stephen Blewett, has dismissed accusations that the telecom operator steals customer data, a persistent complaint he says he’s faced in every market during his career, MyJoyOnline, Ghanaian online news portal, reported on Wednesday.

His comments come as a wave of similar concerns sweeps through Nigeria, where subscribers are also pointing fingers at the country’s largest telco, with over 80 million users, and other operators for what they claim is the unfair depletion of their data.

The PUNCH reported on Tuesday that customers have flooded the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission with emails and messages, demanding a probe into unexplained data consumption.

The operators who spoke on the matter denied any system to siphon data, blaming increased usage on shifts from 3G and 4G to 5G networks and heavier video streaming.

At MTN House in Accra, Blewett addressed the widespread belief that data vanishes due to deliberate tampering.

“I’ve heard ‘You’re stealing my data’ in every country I’ve worked—not just at MTN,” he said, reflecting on his long industry tenure, adding, “I swear to God as my witness: we have no reason to steal your data.”

Blewett argued that there’s no financial incentive for such actions, noting his bonus depends on declared revenue.

“If I steal data, I can’t report it—I’d lose my bonus,” he said, seeking to dispel notions of profit-driven manipulation by MTN or its peers.

He attributed rapid data depletion to enhanced networks, not foul play.

“A better network speeds up data use,” he explained.

“YouTube switches to higher resolution on stronger signals—it’s like Pac-Man eating your data. We don’t control that,” he added.

To build trust, Blewett highlighted MTN’s oversight mechanisms. “We’re independently audited—billing errors would fail our financials,” he said, adding that an internal revenue assurance team constantly checks for discrepancies to ensure compliance and accuracy.

“We don’t want revenue leaks or incorrect billing,” he stressed, underscoring MTN’s commitment to transparency amid customer frustration over vanishing data.

Source: https://punchng.com/weve-no-reason-to-steal-your-data-mtn-replies-customers/

If you want your 1gb to last 2 months, dump your smartphone and get the old java phones with edge network.

Smartphones are designed to drink and eat data.

No business organization would ever accept wrong doing

To make subscribers buy more data is a strong motivation

MTN should talk true, since they started this increment madness, 7gb don't last me a week. I don't watch online video with MTN data, I use glo for that, I only connect my phone to my laptop to read emails and work, apart from that nothing else, I don't even download. I will just receive messages from MTN, you have 78 MB left. Only God will help us in this country.

On top poor network

One time my 2GB data disappeared despite switching off my data. Liars

And u want the gullible nigerian to believe this!

Just wait for them to tell you it is the quality of today's devices that consume your data . You can achieve more with 1gb of 5 years ago than 5g of today. Also, when you make a call but the person you are calling doesn't even hear you, and the network will still debit you, is that not stealing? Communication is complete only when both parties are fully communicating with each other, not one sided communication

BUNCH OF ODES

ALL OVER AFRICA THE STORY OF MTN STEALING DATA IS THE SAME

HERE IN SOUTH AFRICA THAT IS THEIR HEADQUARTERS ...MTN IS EVEN WORSE

I REMEMBER THAT YEAR WHEN SOUTHY BOYZ WENT TO MTN HEAD OFFICE IN ROODEPOORT TO BURN IT DOWN

Glo world All the time for me

But the data guzzles too quick na

Benin Ogun Will Kpai You Heartless Thieves

Taaaa!!! Mtn you dey stole data like mad so pls stop it.

It's really crazy o! MTN stop stealing data

🌺

Nothing this homosapien will say that I'll believe,The bundle in Glo is no longer appealing...

MTN Has Become So Wicked ,Heartless,Insensitive,Dubious & Fraudulent Like APC , Tinubu,Akpabio & Wike
A Very Terrible Mobile Network

jmoore:
If you want your 1gb to last 2 months, dump your smartphone and get the old java phones with edge network.

Smartphones are designed to drink and eat data.

You can simply restrict your smart phone to operate on 2G alone na..

Which one is going back to Java Phone, the Poverty never enter "Pro Max" yet na

masterfactor:
MTN should talk true, since they started this increment madness, 7gb don't last me a week. I don't watch online video with MTN data, I use glo for that, I only connect my phone to my laptop to read emails and work, apart from that nothing else, I don't even download. I will just receive messages from MTN, you have 78 MB left. Only God will help us in this country.

I exhaust close to 20GB every week. I do load 75GB every month and as weird as it might sound, it finishes before the end of the month.

MTN are just criminals. I don't blame them though, we have a government that doesn't care about her citizens.

Nonsense
The fact that there's thousands of people are complaining about the same thing is something we should be wary of.

It is well.

Bullshit!!!

That cost rose along with the data "drinking" rate

I was on everyday on of 1.5gb daily before the hike and I was able to sustain it.

Nowadays, the least I consume is 3gb daily.

Go ahead... steal more from the brainwashed Nigerians who sold their future to MTN cos of their gullibility, greed and crave for awoof

I quited you 13 years ago and never to dash you a dime again

Akacollins7:
Glo world All the time for me

I de enjoy em

shortgun:
To make subscribers buy more data is a strong motivation

Try this

PlasmaTV:
Nonsense
The fact that there's thousands of people are complaining about the same thing is something we should be wary of.

The reality is that the majority are ignorant.

Let me tell you some reasons why peoples data deplete.

1. Apps are set to auto update and they don't know.
2. Their WhatsApp, Instagram etc are set to auto download pictures and videos and they don't know. Majority of those videos in the apps are videos they will never watch, if ur busy and in plenty groups where they inundate you with one video or the other.
3. Youtube set to auto, so when network improves, it will be streaming at 1080p, when 480p on a small, high resolution device is probably ok.
4. If their data is sharable, people can be stealing their data without them knowing. Like your kids, bothers, your shop boys etc

You Gen Z folks spend hours a day on Whatsapp, Instagram, Snapchat, Telegram, Tik Tok, watching all manner of HD content, then you will be complaining that your data is finishing quickly. What do you expect!!

They should reduce the data rate.

JAOS:
On top poor network

MTN network is everything but poor


Try leave ogbomosho cave and move elsewhere

jmoore:
If you want your 1gb to last 2 months, dump your smartphone and get the old java phones with edge network.

Smartphones are designed to drink and eat data.

Especially those androids..

Say you turn on data lasan, dem don chop your data. Dem dey chop data say you turn on data..