By: Sonaike Peter

In Nigeria, mobile data is an essential commodity — just as vital as fuel and food, especially for students and those whose work or daily activities depend on internet access. The simplest task becomes difficult without it.

On January 20, 2025, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) approved a 50% increase in data tariffs. This policy led to a sharp rise in mobile data costs. However, telecom giants like MTN have surpassed the approved limits, inflating data plan prices beyond what the NCC sanctioned. For example, MTN’s 1GB plan, which once cost 280 naira, now exceeds 700 naira. This price surge has hit many Nigerians hard, especially students at the University of Ibadan, who struggle to keep up with the rising costs.

At the University of Ibadan, where internet access is the lifeblood of both academics and social interactions, the soaring cost of data poses a threat to students’ digital lives. Struggling to stay connected, many now stretch their stipends thin to afford overpriced plans. Others seek refuge in public Wi-Fi hotspots, braving the relentless heat in places such as Access Bank or the Faculty of Technology.

With data costs soaring, many students now rely on family — parents, siblings, or relatives — to help foot the bill. For others, affording data has become a relentless struggle despite its necessity. The impact is especially severe for campus journalists, who need constant online presence to keep the student body informed, and final-year students, whose research and projects depend on uninterrupted internet access. Despite paying a 10,000-naira technology fee, students have seen little to no benefit.

“Data Takes 50% of My Allowance” – A Uite

For many students, data is more than just a necessity. It is a lifeline. Beyond academics, some, like Michael, a 400-level Agriculture student, depend on it for their livelihoods.

Speaking with IndyPress, Michael shared that half of his allowance goes toward data alone. As a freelancer, staying connected, he noted, isn’t optional. It is the backbone of his work.

He fondly recalled a time when 1.5GB of data cost just 200 naira and lasted through the night. But those days are long gone. Just weeks ago, he purchased a 5GB Airtel plan, only to watch it vanish in less than 12 hours.

While Michael did not necessarily complain about the rising cost of data, he expressed frustration over its insufficient quantity, noting that it is no longer sustainable. He also described the inconvenience of leaving his hall, the Great Independence Hall of Residence, to connect to public Wi-Fi at Kenneth Mellanby Hall just to stay online.

“I used to buy 1.5GB of data for just 200 naira, and that would be enough to get me through the night. But now, I bought 5GB recently, and it barely lasted 12 hours. It’s really frustrating — the data just doesn’t last anymore. It is becoming impossible to keep up,” Michael lamented.

In light of these challenges, he urged the university management to extend Wi-Fi access to all halls of residence — a plea born not just from personal frustration but from a shared struggle among students.

With data costs climbing relentlessly, the financial strain is becoming unbearable. Reliable campus-wide internet, Michael believes, wouldn’t just be a convenience; easing the burden on students already juggling academic pressures with rising expenses.

“I Feel So Bored When I Run Out of Data” – Oluwaseun

Mobile data has become more than just a luxury. When it runs out or becomes too expensive, boredom and frustration inevitably follow. Take Oluwaseun, a Mechanical Engineering student, for example.

Speaking with IndyPress, he admitted that whenever he exhausts his data and can’t afford to top up, he finds himself restless, trapped.

Like Michael, he wasn’t just concerned about the rising cost of data but also about its dwindling quality and quantity. Each purchase felt like getting less for more, a cycle he found unsustainable. The frustration of paying more only to receive less made staying online a constant struggle — one that seemed to have no end in sight.

On some days, Oluwaseun has no choice but to brave the heat at the Faculty of Technology, all for a few precious moments of public Wi-F i— an ordeal he finds anything but convenient. The scorching sun, the discomfort, the struggle for a stable connection, all adds to his growing frustration.

Beyond the inconvenience, Oluwaseun took aim at MTN, criticizing its staggering 100% hike in data tariffs. He found the price surge not just unreasonable but outright exploitative, making it even harder for students to stay connected. In his view, the government must intervene, urging the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to enforce a rollback of these exorbitant rates.

Echoing Michael’s sentiment, Oluwaseun also called on the university management to install Wi-Fi in all halls of residence. Reliable campus-wide internet, he argued, wasn’t just a luxury — it was a necessity, one that would ease students’ financial burdens and grant them uninterrupted access to the digital world.

“Sometimes, I feel so bored when I run out of data and can’t afford to subscribe. It’s frustrating, and honestly, it makes me feel stuck,” Oluwaseun said.

“Having to sit under the scorching sun at the Faculty of Technology just to use public Wi-Fi? It’s not only inconvenient — it is uncomfortable, and it shouldn’t be this way for students,” he added.

“The Price Went Up, and the Quantity Went Down” – Olarewaju

Another student, Olarewaju, a 300-level medical student, argued that as data tariffs have soared, service quality has plummeted, making it increasingly unsustainable. He recalled how, in the past, he could purchase 1GB of Airtel data for just 300 naira, which would last him three days. Unfortunately, that data plan no longer exists.

“You can’t afford to buy data as you used to. For example, I used to get 1GB of Airtel data for 300 naira, and it would last me three days. But now, that’s no longer the case. The plan doesn’t exist anymore. Everything is more expensive — the price went up, and the quantity of data went down,” Olarewaju told IndyPress.

While he acknowledged the availability of Wi-Fi in a few spots around the university, he emphasized that it is not ideal for students to trek to these areas just to access the internet. He urged the school management to install Wi-Fi in all halls of residence, as most students spend the majority of their time there.

UI Students’ Union Leaders Remain Silent on Intervention

On March 13, 2025, Punch reported a protest by the National Association of Nigerian Students, Oyo Branch, against the recent tariff increase in telecommunications. There was however no evidence that the University of Ibadan Students’ Union participated in the action.

The students had staged a demonstration by blocking the main entrance of MTN at Mobil Roundabout with their “Aluta bus,” holding placards with inscriptions like “Enough is enough! Tariff hike is a scam!”

Despite the demonstration, the tariff hike remains unresolved, continuing to negatively affect many Nigerians, including students of the University of Ibadan.

Relentless efforts by IndyPress to get comments from the Students’ Union President, Covenant Odedele, and Vice President, Owadayo Olabisi, concerning the union’s plan to ease the financial burden, placed on students by the telecommunications hike were unsuccessful as of press time.

Likewise, the Students’ Representative Council, under the headship of Rt. Hon. Shoge Quadri, has remained silent, despite being the representative and policy-making organ of the union.

The Way Forward

The situation is far from ideal. In a world where access to information is crucial, no student should have to choose between affording data and meeting other essential needs. Urgent intervention is needed.

The government must step in and mandate the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to either reduce or completely reverse the recent tariff hike, ensuring that education remains accessible in a digitally driven era.

Beyond government action, the university has a role to play. As Michael rightly pointed out, students already pay a technology fee — yet reliable internet access remains a privilege rather than a given. It is only fair that the university installs Wi-Fi in all halls of residence, bridging the gap and ensuring that no student is left disconnected due to financial constraints.