Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has taken a swipe at MTN Nigeria’s Chief Executive Officer, Karl Toriola, over comments suggesting that unlimited mobile data plans are unrealistic in today’s telecommunications industry.
The criticism follows remarks made by Toriola during MTN’s “Data on Trial” engagement in Lagos, where the telecom executive argued that unlimited mobile data offerings do not exist in practical terms unless customers are willing to pay extremely high fees.
According to Toriola, mobile network operators cannot maintain service quality if subscribers are allowed unrestricted access to data at low prices, insisting that network capacity and operational realities make such offerings unsustainable.
His comments, however, did not sit well with Sowore.
Reacting through his verified X account, the activist accused the MTN boss of misleading Nigerians and ignoring realities in several countries where consumers enjoy unlimited or near-unlimited internet access at competitive rates.
Sowore argued that telecom users in many parts of the world receive better network quality and larger data allowances while paying significantly less relative to their earning power than Nigerians currently do.
He maintained that consumers in Nigeria have continued to endure rising tariffs, poor service quality, frequent network disruptions and shrinking data value despite repeated promises of improvement from telecom operators.
According to him, Nigerians deserve more transparent pricing, better service delivery and consumer-focused policies rather than what he described as recurring excuses from industry players.
Protest threat
The former African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate also hinted at the possibility of a nationwide protest against MTN if concerns over data costs and service quality remain unaddressed.
In his post, Sowore declared that Nigerians should not be forced to accept what he described as inferior services while paying increasingly higher charges.
“The time to occupy MTN nationwide is fast approaching,” he wrote, signalling growing frustration among some consumers over the state of telecommunications services in the country.
The exchange comes amid ongoing public debate surrounding recent tariff adjustments approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Earlier in 2025, the regulator approved increases of up to 50 per cent on voice calls, SMS and data services, a move operators argued was necessary to offset inflationary pressures, rising operational costs and the impact of currency depreciation.
While telecom companies insist the adjustments are vital for sustaining investments and improving network infrastructure, consumer advocates continue to question whether subscribers are receiving value for the higher costs.
The latest clash between Sowore and MTN has once again placed the spotlight on the broader conversation about affordability, service quality and consumer rights in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.