NYCN Seeks End to Mobile Data Expiration, Says Policy Hurts Nigerian Youths

The National Youth Council of Nigeria has called on the Federal Government and the Nigerian Communications Commission to abolish the expiration of unused mobile data, arguing that the policy places an unfair burden on young Nigerians who rely heavily on internet access for education, business and innovation.

The council made the call under its proposed Consumer Equity and Digital Inclusion (CEDI) Framework, describing data expiration as a practice that undermines digital inclusion and economic opportunities for youths.

Speaking on behalf of the council, Ambassador Taiwo Ajayi Adeola, the Director youth Advocacy and policy said in a statement that internet access has become essential for learning, entrepreneurship, civic engagement and national development, stressing that millions of students, corps members and young entrepreneurs lose valuable resources monthly through expiring data subscriptions.

“Data is no longer a luxury. It is the oxygen of the digital economy,” he said.

According to him, Nigerian youths depend on internet access for online classes, job applications, business transactions and digital innovation, adding that allowing unused purchased data to expire amounts to denying citizens access to services they have already paid for.

The council expressed concern over the increasing cost of internet access in the country despite growing dependence on digital platforms.

It noted that Nigeria recorded over 4.06 million terabytes of internet consumption in the first quarter of 2026, while the average cost of 1GB of data has risen significantly in recent years.

The NYCN particularly highlighted the impact of data expiration on university students and members of the NYSC Cyber Corps, describing them as critical drivers of Nigeria’s digital economy and cybersecurity efforts.

According to the council, many students now rely on digital platforms for academic activities, while members of the Cyber Corps require uninterrupted internet access for cybersecurity training and digital advocacy programmes.

“It is contradictory for government institutions to mandate digital compliance while permitting telecom systems that erase unused digital resources purchased by citizens,” the statement added.

The youth body also referenced recent consumer protection measures introduced by the NCC, including compensation policies for network failures and refund systems for failed airtime or data transactions.

It argued that such policies reinforce the principle that consumers should not lose access to services they have paid for.

Citing provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018, the council maintained that prepaid mobile data should be treated as a consumer asset rather than a disposable commodity.

The group urged the National Assembly to introduce legislative reforms guaranteeing a minimum validity period of 365 days for prepaid data or ensuring that purchased data remains active until fully exhausted.

Among other demands, the council called for lifetime validity for purchased data bundles, an end to mandatory rollover conditions tied to fresh subscriptions, independent audits into alleged unexplained data depletion by telecom operators and subsidised internet plans for students and NYSC members.

The NYCN also compared Nigeria’s telecom policies with practices in countries such as South Africa and India, where regulators have introduced stronger protections for consumers regarding data validity and rollover systems.

Ajayi said digital inclusion should be treated as a national economic priority, warning that expiring data subscriptions could negatively affect productivity and innovation among young Nigerians.

“We cannot build a globally competitive digital economy while placing expiration dates on the tools young Nigerians use to learn, innovate and contribute to national development,” he said.

The council disclosed that it would soon submit a formal petition to the NCC and relevant committees of the National Assembly as part of its #DataJusticeNG advocacy campaign.