The Chief Executive Officer of MTN Ghana, Stephen Blewett, has rejected claims that the telecom company engages in the theft of customers’ data.
Blewett noted that this has been a recurring issue he has encountered throughout his career in various markets, Ghanaian online news portal, MyJoyOnline, reports on Wednesday.
During a meeting at MTN House in Accra, Blewett tackled the common perception that data disappears because of intentional interference.
He contended that there is no financial motivation for such behaviour, emphasising that his bonus is tied to reported revenue, not data theft.
“I’ve heard ‘You’re stealing my data’ in every country I’ve worked, not just at MTN,” he said, reflecting on his long industry tenure, adding, “I swear to God as my witness: we have no reason to steal your data.”
“If I steal data, I can’t report it—I’d lose my bonus,” he said, seeking to dispel notions of profit-driven manipulation by MTN or its peers.
He attributed rapid data depletion to enhanced networks, not foul play.
“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.
“We’re independently audited—billing errors would fail our financials,” he said, adding that an internal revenue assurance team constantly checks for discrepancies to ensure compliance and accuracy.
“We don’t want revenue leaks or incorrect billing,” he stressed, underscoring MTN’s commitment to transparency amid customer frustration over vanishing data,” he added.
The CEO’s remarks came amid similar concerns in Nigeria, with subscribers suspecting MTN and other telecommunication operators for the rapid depletion of their data.
Nigerian subscribers have sent emails and messages to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) calling for investigation into mysterious data usage.
However, service providers have denied siphoning data, blaming increased usage on shifts from 3G and 4G to 5G networks and heavier video streaming.
