Viral “MTN statement” is false, company confirms 25GB anniversary offer is genuine

By NewsNexus Research Desk

A viral message claiming that MTN Nigeria will charge customers ₦9,000 for claiming a supposedly “free” 25GB data bundle on August 8, 2026, has been found to be false.

The message, circulating widely on social media, purports to be a statement from MTN Nigeria and claims that the ₦9,000 charge resulted from a “system glitch.” It further alleges that the supposed debt would begin reflecting in customers’ accounts from August 12, 2026.

However, evidence available as of August 9 shows that the message is not an authentic MTN announcement.

THE VIRAL CLAIM

The message reads in part:

“Everyone who claimed the free 25GB on the 8th of August 2026 will be charged a total of N9,000.”

It attributes the alleged charge to a system error and directs customers to contact MTN on its customer-service channels.

NewsNexus found the same wording circulating across Facebook, Instagram and other social-media platforms. However, these posts are user-generated and do not constitute evidence that MTN issued the statement.

WHAT MTN ACTUALLY SAID

Contrary to the viral message, MTN Nigeria has publicly warned customers about fake 25GB anniversary offers and fraudulent messages circulating online.

According to reports quoting MTN’s official support account on X, the company confirmed that its 25GB Anniversary Giveaway is genuine, but stressed that eligible customers should access it only through the MyMTN NG App or MTN eShop.

MTN specifically warned customers against clicking suspicious links, sharing personal information or making payments on unofficial platforms claiming to offer the anniversary data.

THE 25GB OFFER WAS REAL

This is an important distinction.

The viral ₦9,000 message should not be confused with the actual MTN 25GB anniversary promotion.

Reports published on August 8 indicate that MTN offered eligible customers 25GB of free data as part of activities marking the company’s 25th anniversary in Nigeria.

The offer was available through the MyMTN NG App and MTN eShop, with the promotional data subject to the stated validity period.

Therefore, the claim that the entire 25GB promotion was itself a “system glitch” is contradicted by MTN’s own public warning confirming the existence of the anniversary promotion.

WHAT ABOUT THE ₦9,000?

The ₦9,000 figure appears to have contributed to the confusion.

A standard MTN 25GB data plan may have a commercial price of ₦9,000, but that does not mean MTN is retrospectively billing customers who legitimately received the promotional 25GB.

NewsNexus found no credible evidence from MTN confirming that customers who redeemed the anniversary offer will automatically incur a ₦9,000 debt from August 12.

NEWSNEXUS VERDICT

CLAIM: “MTN will charge everyone who claimed the free 25GB on August 8, 2026, ₦9,000 because of a system glitch.”

VERDICT: FALSE ❌

The evidence shows that:

• The 25GB anniversary promotion was genuine for eligible MTN customers.
• MTN has warned about fake messages and fraudulent offers surrounding the promotion.
• There is no verified MTN announcement confirming a ₦9,000 retrospective charge.
• There is no verified evidence that customers’ accounts will be debited from August 12, 2026, as claimed.
• The viral statement circulating under the name of “MTN Management” should therefore not be treated as an authentic MTN communication.

NEWSNEXUS ADVISORY

Customers who received the legitimate 25GB anniversary offer should not panic because of the viral ₦9,000 message.

At the same time, customers should remain cautious about links and messages asking for personal information, payments or other forms of verification.

For promotional information, MTN has advised customers to rely on its official channels, particularly the MyMTN NG App and MTN eShop.

NewsNexus Research Desk
Research | Media | Public Policy | Strategic Communications

Fact-check date: August 9, 2026