Activist Omoyele Sowore has pushed back against the MTN Nigeria CEO’s assertion that unlimited data plans are not feasible, warning that subscribers will stage coordinated protests if telecom companies continue what he termed exploitative billing practices.

The Sahara Reporters publisher led demonstrators to MTN’s Maitama, Abuja headquarters on Wednesday under the “Occupy MTN” campaign. He told reporters that Nigerians are tired of data plans that vanish before their validity expires, coupled with dropped calls and poor network performance despite higher tariffs.

“Paying for 24 hours should mean 24 hours. Paying for 30 days should mean 30 days of service,” Sowore said. He maintained that Nigerians want real fixes to network quality and fair data consumption, not short-term giveaways or bonus offers.

Sowore broadened the criticism to include Globacom, Airtel and 9Mobile, accusing all major operators of similar patterns. He also blamed the Nigerian Communications Commission for weak oversight, saying the regulator has not done enough to protect subscribers from unfair charges.

The NCC had ordered Mobile Network Operators to compensate users who suffered service disruptions between November 2025 and January 2026. MTN confirmed it was implementing the order. Sowore dismissed the compensation as inadequate, describing it as a cosmetic measure that ignores deeper issues in the sector.

He said the Abuja demonstration was only the first phase of a broader movement to push for affordable access and transparent data policies across Nigeria.

Sources verified: Sahara Reporters, Daily Trust, Punch news.