The Chief Executive Officer of MTN Ghana, Stephen Blewett, has refuted claims that the telecom company deliberately siphons customer data, describing such accusations as a recurring concern in every market he has worked in.
His response comes at a time when similar complaints are gaining momentum in Nigeria, where millions of subscribers accuse MTN and other operators of unfair data depletion.
In Nigeria, the issue has drawn regulatory attention, with The PUNCH reporting that the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission have been flooded with complaints demanding an investigation into unexplained data usage.
Telecom operators have denied any foul play, attributing the rapid depletion of data to increased streaming habits and the transition from 3G and 4G to 5G networks, which consume more bandwidth.
Speaking at MTN House in Accra, Blewett dismissed suspicions of data theft, emphasizing that such claims are not unique to Ghana or Nigeria.
“I’ve heard ‘You’re stealing my data’ in every country I’ve worked—not just at MTN,” he said. “I swear to God as my witness: we have no reason to steal your data.”
He argued that there is no financial benefit in such practices, stating that his performance bonus depends on officially declared revenue.
“If I steal data, I can’t report it—I’d lose my bonus,” he said, reinforcing his position that MTN has no incentive to manipulate customer data usage.
According to Blewett, improved network speeds are the primary reason for faster data consumption, rather than any deliberate tampering.
“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.”
To reassure customers, he highlighted MTN’s internal and external oversight mechanisms, stating that the company undergoes independent audits and maintains a revenue assurance team to monitor billing accuracy.
“We’re independently audited—billing errors would fail our financials,” he noted. “We don’t want revenue leaks or incorrect billing.”
