Despite a government-mandated increase in mobile data bundle volumes effective July 1, 2025, Ghanaian users are expressing widespread frustration over the rapid depletion of their data packages, undermining the promised value.
Communications Minister Samuel Nartey George announced on June 10, 2025, that MTN Ghana would boost all data bundles by 15%, restoring its GH₵399 bundle to 214GB from a reduced 92.88GB, while AirtelTigo (AT Ghana) and Telecel Ghana would increase their bundles by 10%, with the GH₵400 bundle rising from 195GB to 236GB for AT and from 90GB to 250GB for Telecel.
These changes, following stakeholder consultations, aimed to enhance consumer value without raising prices, with the National Communications Authority (NCA) tasked to enforce compliance and conduct quarterly billing integrity tests starting Q3 2025.
However, within weeks, users reported that data depletes faster than before, negating the benefits of the increased volumes. Social media platforms like X have become outlets for complaints, with users like @shaibu_AB noting 100GB vanishing in a week and @TheAtiila stating they now buy twice the data they used previously, despite the increase.
Digital rights advocate Samuel Yeboah, known as Tech in Twi, highlighted concerns about data metering, stating that tests on his bundles and feedback from followers suggest discrepancies in how data usage is measured. Users argue that while bundle sizes have grown, actual usage time has decreased, with one reporting that a GH₵1 bundle, once lasting a day, now runs out in three hours.
The controversy centers on opaque data metering systems, which few consumers understand or can verify. Despite NCA’s 2024 billing tests finding no irregularities in data crediting or expiration, public trust remains low, with calls for independent audits growing louder. In Ghana, where 24.3 million people (69.9% of the population) rely on mobile internet for education, business, and communication, rapid data depletion threatens digital inclusion.
Users are adapting by limiting app activity, but the trust gap persists, with demands for transparency in how data is measured and consumed. As Yeboah and others push for clarity, the public’s frustration underscores a broader issue: without reliable and affordable data, Ghana’s digital economy faces significant challenges.
