Toriola had spoken at a press briefing titled “Data on Trial” in Lagos on Saturday, where he argued that truly unlimited data plans are not practical on mobile networks.
According to him, telecommunications operators cannot provide unrestricted data access to all subscribers at low prices while maintaining acceptable service quality.
“The issue of unlimited data on mobile network, it does not exist anywhere in the world, except you are paying $400 a month or whatever. There are high bundles and fair usage policies.
“On mobile networks, it does not really exist. There is a limit, because you can never build enough capacity for everyone to be on an unlimited bundle and you think you will provide quality service that will be decent,” he said.
Responding in a post on X on Sunday, Sowore dismissed the claim, insisting that consumers in several countries have access to unlimited or near-unlimited broadband and mobile data packages at affordable rates.
The former presidential candidate argued that many users across the world pay less for better services than Nigerians currently receive.
“Liars.
“Millions of consumers around the world enjoy truly unlimited or effectively unlimited broadband and mobile data plans at prices that are often cheaper, relative to income, than what Nigerians pay for far less service.
“Nigerians deserve affordable, reliable, and genuinely consumer-friendly telecommunications services, not endless tariff hikes, poor network quality, and excuses.
“The time to #OCCUPYMTN nationwide is fast approaching!” he wrote.
The latest exchange comes amid ongoing public debate over telecommunications tariffs and service quality in Nigeria.
Telecom operators, including MTN Nigeria, have continued to defend recent tariff adjustments approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), maintaining that the increases are necessary to offset rising operational costs driven by inflation and currency depreciation.
Earlier in 2025, the NCC approved increases of up to 50 per cent in voice, SMS and data tariffs, a move operators said was needed to sustain investment and improve network infrastructure.
While MTN has maintained that Nigeria remains among the world’s cheapest markets for mobile data, critics have argued that consumers in countries such as India, the United Kingdom and parts of Europe enjoy better network experiences and more generous data offerings at competitive prices.
The debate also gained momentum on social media, where some Nigerians living abroad shared screenshots of unlimited data packages available in their countries of residence, challenging Toriola’s position on the global availability of such plans.