The Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola, has sparked online debate after stating that truly unlimited data plans do not exist anywhere in the world unless customers are paying extremely high prices.
Toriola made the remark while speaking at a recent event, where he addressed concerns about data pricing and network capacity in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.
According to him, unlimited mobile data offerings are largely unsustainable due to infrastructure limitations.
“The issue of unlimited data on mobile networks: it doesn’t exist anywhere in the world except if you’re paying a fortune. There’s a limit because you can never build enough capacity for everyone to be on an unlimited bundle, and you think you’ll provide a quality of service that is decent,” he said.
However, his comment has triggered widespread reactions, particularly from Nigerians living abroad, who disagreed with the claim and shared screenshots of their own mobile subscriptions.
Some users in countries such as the United Kingdom argued that they pay for unlimited data plans at relatively low monthly rates, often equivalent to a few hours of minimum wage work, challenging the CEO’s assertion.
The debate has since gained traction on social media, with users comparing global telecom pricing models and questioning the affordability and structure of data services in Nigeria.