The Chief Executive Officer of MTN Ghana, Stephen Blewett, has rejected allegations that the telecom operator steals customer data. He dismissed the accusations, stating that this is a common complaint he has encountered throughout his career, according to MyJoyOnline, a Ghanaian online news portal.
His remarks come as similar concerns have surfaced in Nigeria, where subscribers of MTN, which has over 80 million users, and other telecom companies are accusing operators of unfairly depleting their data. The PUNCH reported on Tuesday that customers have sent numerous complaints to the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, urging investigations into unexplained data consumption.
Telecom operators have denied the claims of data siphoning, attributing the increased data usage to the shift from 3G and 4G networks to 5G, as well as the rise in video streaming.
Addressing the issue at MTN House in Accra, Blewett spoke about the widespread belief that telecom companies deliberately steal data. “I’ve heard ‘You’re stealing my data’ in every country I’ve worked—not just at MTN,” he reflected, drawing on his extensive industry experience. “I swear to God as my witness: we have no reason to steal your data,” he emphasized.
Blewett explained that there’s no financial incentive for stealing data, as his bonus is based on declared revenue. “If I steal data, I can’t report it—I’d lose my bonus,” he pointed out, aiming to dismiss any notions of profit-driven manipulation by MTN or other operators.
He further clarified that rapid data depletion is a result of enhanced network capabilities, not intentional tampering. “A better network speeds up data use,” he said, comparing it to YouTube automatically switching to higher resolution with stronger signals. “It’s like Pac-Man eating your data. We don’t control that,” he added.
To build customer trust, Blewett assured that MTN has robust oversight mechanisms in place. “We’re independently audited—billing errors would fail our financials,” he said. He also highlighted that an internal revenue assurance team works continuously to ensure accuracy and prevent revenue leaks or incorrect billing.
