Airtime and VAS Extortion: A Call for Telecom Accountability

Since I published my article on the MTN VAS rip-off of its customers, I have had more than 100 messages delivered to my WhatsApp line from customers of all the networks, alleging deliberate robbery by the operators.

Here, I present just four of these consumer feedback as a buttress of my argument that this stealing is prevalent and intentional

From Fr. Ikecchukwu Ogara

For years, the mobile phone in Nigeria served as a profound tool of liberation and economic empowerment, a testament to how technology can uplift a people. Regrettably, it has increasingly transitioned into a site of quiet, predatory extraction. The recent public outcry by veteran journalist Ikem Okuhu against MTN Nigeria is not an isolated case as it reflects a widespread sentiment shared by millions of Nigerians.

As a priest, I cannot remain silent while corporate structures engage in what can only be described as a systemic raid on the pockets of the vulnerable. When a citizen recharges his or her phone with hard-earned naira, only to watch it vanish into the ether of "phantom subscriptions" and unrequested Value-Added Services (VAS), it ceases to be a mere technical glitch. It becomes a fundamental question of economic justice, demanding our urgent moral attention.

The Morality of Corporate Fraud

The business model of the "VAS Dragnet" is built on systemic deception. Independent aggregators, operating under strict, cut-throat commercial targets, weaponize hidden network loops to forcefully enroll unsuspecting users. To receive a text message at midnight proclaiming that you have “successfully subscribed” to a service you never sought, and to have your balance instantly depleted, is a direct violation of the fundamental right to property and fair contract.

The telecommunication networks cannot simply wash their hands like Pontius Pilate and lay the blame entirely on third-party vendors. They provide the billing pipes; they host the shortcodes; and they take a significant percentage of the financial cut. By failing to enforce strict, transparent opt-in protocols, they become structurally complicit in the corporate ambush of their own loyal customer base. They seem to bank on consumer exhaustion—knowing that the average Nigerian is too busy surviving the hardships of today to fight a legal battle over ₦200. Yet, we must remember that ₦200 taken from 10 million citizens translates to ₦2 billion in illicit corporate wealth. This is a burden our people should not have to bear.

The Enlightenment Weapon

To the Nigerian public, Scripture gently reminds us in Hosea 4:6 that "my people perish for lack of knowledge." While we push for systemic, institutional reform, we must also equip ourselves with the practical digital shields available to protect our livelihoods. If you are a victim of these unauthorized deductions, I urge you to actively deploy these regulatory tools:

The Universal Shield (*305#): If you discover that money is leaving your account mysteriously, please immediately dial *305# on your mobile device. This is the NCC-mandated universal portal that allows you to view, confront, and unsubscribe from any hidden active services bleeding your airtime.

The National Do-Not-Disturb Sanctuary (2442): You have a right to absolute digital privacy. Open your messaging application, type the word STOP, and send it via SMS to 2442. This activates Full DND status, instructing the network registry to completely block predatory third-party marketing, corporate spam, and automatic lottery subscriptions.

The Data Firewall (*312*1*12#): Telecommunications companies frequently drain main account airtime when an active data bundle expires via "Pay-As-You-Go" browsing. Take full control of your balance by dialing 3121*12# to completely deactivate automatic data billing from your primary airtime balance.

A Challenge to the Operators, the Regulators and the Users

To MTN and other telecommunication networks operating within our borders: corporate equity must be anchored on ethics, not on consumer captivity. There is a need for you to institute a mandatory Double Opt-In framework. No dime should ever be deducted from a consumer's mobile wallet unless they physically type a confirmation PIN authorizing the transaction.

I also call upon the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to transition from issuing reactive warnings to enforcing punitive, severe financial sanctions on networks that allow these predatory loops to persist. Our regulators must stand firmly as shepherds protecting the flock, not as passive onlookers.

To all users and subscribers, this essay should serve as a calm call to action. Corporate impunity thrives on silence and we must not continue to allow our mobile lines to be treated as open digital cash registers for corporate greed. Let us activate the protections available to us, and demand the digital dignity we truly pay for and deserve.

𝘼𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧

Rev. Fr Paulinus Ikechukwu Ogara is a Catholic priest of the Diocese of Nsukka, an educator, and a prolific author dedicated to bridging the pulpit and the public square. Known for his outspoken advocacy for truth, his extensive work spans theology, educational philosophy, and social commentary.

👇 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝗮 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄.

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From Chukwuma Brown MTN customer

My brother this is very sad. I had this issue with them and I went to their office at Ire Akari, Isolo. That one was ₦8,000 plus, apart from small ones that they have been stealing. They did abracadabra and said that it will not happen again without any refund.

Then the day my ex- travelled out, I spent ₦24,000 trying to load my phone and they made sure they collected it as I was trying to load it up and to get data. Ok when I went to their office to complain about it again, they told me that I downloaded some apps and I told them I only downloaded WhatsApp and Facebook and no other thing apart from making calls. It almost got to physical fight because they asked me to vacate my seat for them to attend to another customer and I refuse to leave.  I even called a friend who is a lawyer to inquire how I can sue them.

From Peace Onyishi, MTN customer: it is no longer funny. Every other day, my father needs me to unsubscribe from meaningless subscriptions he never subscribed to in the first place, which are stealing his airtime. This telco theft through unapproved subscriptions needs to stop!

From Fabian Ikem Asadu, MTN Customer: I've been hoping that you come to this someday; they've messed with me a lot.

I will read further in detail and make comments.

Well done, my own numero uno journalist....

From George Asogwa,  lawyer and an Airtel customer.

Airtel is doing the same thing. I'm planning to sue them for stealing. It's so annoying. I don't know when and how I subscribed to the stuff that deducts 100naira daily. I followed the prompts to disable it yet every day the robbery continues.