“We don’t steal data, customers use it unknowingly” – MTN Ghana CEO

The Chief Executive Officer of MTN Ghana, Stephen Blewett, has firmly dismissed allegations that the company is involved in the theft or manipulation of customers’ mobile data, amid rising public concern over the rapid depletion of data bundles.

His response follows a surge in complaints from subscribers across Ghana who have reported unusually fast data consumption and, in some cases, what they describe as unexplained loss of data. The issue has sparked widespread debate on social media and among consumer advocacy groups, with many users demanding greater transparency from telecom providers.

Addressing the concerns on Friday, April 17, Mr Blewett emphasised that MTN Ghana has no incentive to engage in any form of data theft or manipulation. He explained that such actions would undermine customer trust, damage the company’s reputation, and ultimately lead to a loss of subscribers in a highly competitive telecommunications market.

“There’s zero incentive for MTN to steal data from you. Because it will just chase people away. It’s not something we do; it’s not part of our values,” he stated.

Instead, he attributed the perceived data loss to evolving patterns in digital consumption, particularly with the increased use of smartphones and data-intensive applications. According to him, many users may not fully realise how quickly their data is consumed due to background processes running on their devices.

He pointed out that mobile applications often operate in the background, automatically refreshing content, syncing data, and running updates without users’ direct awareness. Additionally, automatic software updates and cloud-based services can significantly increase data usage over time.

Mr Blewett also highlighted the growing demand for high-quality multimedia content—especially video streaming in HD and 4K resolutions—as a major contributor to faster data depletion. These services consume large amounts of data within short periods, which may give the impression that data is disappearing unusually quickly.

In light of this, he urged customers to take a more proactive approach to managing their data usage. This includes regularly monitoring app activity, disabling unnecessary background data usage, and adjusting settings such as video streaming quality to reduce consumption.

“So there’s a lot that we have to do as customers. We have to be very responsible,” he added, encouraging users to better understand their data habits and make informed decisions about their mobile usage.

His remarks come as telecom operators continue to face increasing scrutiny over service delivery, pricing, and transparency, with customers demanding clearer insights into how their data is used and billed.