Nigerians students in senior secondary schools and undergraduates in various Nigeria’s higher institutions are spending an estimated N159 billion cumulatively on mobile phone data monthly, LEADERSHIP checks have shown.
According to available data, there are an average of 13.9million students in public and private senior secondary schools nationwide and another two million undergraduates scattered across the nation’s higher institutions.
Many of the students that LEADERSHIP spoke to admit that they now spend an average of N10,000 per month on data as a result of the current high level of data depletion experienced across the four major telecom companies in the country.
This amounts to 15.9 million students who spent about N159 billion, translating to an average of N10,000 per student monthly on mobile data, LEADERSHIP findings revealed.
Further investigations revealed that the virtual teaching and learning now being adopted by some secondary schools, universities, polytechnics and other higher institutions had further increased data consumption of students post-Covid-19.
This is in addition to the contents consumed by these same students on social media, especially, on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and twitter, among others.
Some, especially, final year students spend huge amounts of data on research for their graduation projects.
To this end, the students would be spending N1.908 trillion over a period of twelve months in a year, thereby, allowing the major mobile telecommunications networks, especially, MTN, Glo, Airtel and 9mobile, accrue a lot of profit from data consumption in the country.
Hence, Nigerian undergraduates have lamented the huge amount of funds they spend on data monthly, saying they are not getting value for money and are suspecting foul play by mobile telecommunications networks.
Therefore, they have called on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to investigate reasons behind the recent data depletion.
Data Depletion, which occurs when a subscriber exhausts his or her data bundle before the expiration date, or when more than volume is utilised for accessing online content greater than what the subscriber believes it should be, or what it ought to be, has been a major issue in the telecom industry, with Nigerians voicing their frustration in recent times.
For instance, a student from Lagos State University (LASU), Prosper Adegun, said he spends between N8,000 to N10,000 on data monthly.
“That is more than what I spend on feeding, on a monthly basis. No doubt, data is life, but the rate at which data is depleting is alarming. I will be glad if the NCC can do something about it,” Adegun said.
Oladipupo Ramadan, a 200-level student of LASU, said: “A few years ago, I wasn’t able to exhaust 2GB in a month, but right now, 6GB is not enough for me. I keep wondering what is happening to my data. If data is something I could do without, I would have joyfully ignored it, as it is consuming my money. Sadly, it has become a necessity for all of us.”
A 300-level student of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, Femi Adewoye, who relies on data for his research, classes, and staying connected with friends, expressed frustration at the speed at which the data is consumed.
He said: “I often find myself running out of data before the month ends, and it affects my ability to study and keep up with my coursework. The amount of money I spend on data is outrageous. Network providers need to improve their service delivery.”
Responding to allegation of data depletion, the telecoms industry regulator, NCC, said data depletion is one of the most prevalent complaints received from telecom consumers in the country. It noted that most of the complaints came as a result of the consumers’ recent migration to 4G and 5G/LTE technology.
“It is, therefore, important that we completely appreciate and understand the issues surrounding data depletion, its usage, and consumption in the era of 4G technology before we fully commence 5G usage. As much as the commission has an obligation to the telecom consumer, it also has an obligation to the industry, a symbiotic relationship in which one party cannot survive without the other.
Some, especially, final year students spend huge amounts of data on research for their graduation projects.
To this end, the students would be spending N1.908 trillion over a period of twelve months in a year, thereby, allowing the major mobile telecommunications networks, especially, MTN, Glo, Airtel and 9mobile, accrue a lot of profit from data consumption in the country.
Hence, Nigerian undergraduates have lamented the huge amount of funds they spend on data monthly, saying they are not getting value for money and are suspecting foul play by mobile telecommunications networks.
Therefore, they have called on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to investigate reasons behind the recent data depletion.
Data Depletion, which occurs when a subscriber exhausts his or her data bundle before the expiration date, or when more than volume is utilised for accessing online content greater than what the subscriber believes it should be, or what it ought to be, has been a major issue in the telecom industry, with Nigerians voicing their frustration in recent times.
For instance, a student from Lagos State University (LASU), Prosper Adegun, said he spends between N8,000 to N10,000 on data monthly.
“That is more than what I spend on feeding, on a monthly basis. No doubt, data is life, but the rate at which data is depleting is alarming. I will be glad if the NCC can do something about it,” Adegun said.
Credit: Leadership
