Stop letting PAYG drain your airtime. This guide compares MTN, Airtel, Glo and 9mobile’s cheapest 2025 tariffs, shows migration codes, hidden fees and a 1–2 % recharge‑discount hack. Match each plan to your calling or data habit and start saving today.
The March 2025 tariff reform set a hard floor of 30 kobo per second (₦18 / min) for every prepaid call in Nigeria and left PAYG data pegged at ₦3.07 / MB . At first glance that looks brutal—until you realise each network still runs half‑secret tariff plans that smash those numbers if you dial the right code.
But picking blindly can backfire; a youth‑focused night bundle is useless if you make daytime sales calls, and a voice‑heavy bonus plan wastes money on someone who streams three hours of TikTok nightly. This article does the homework for you. It:
- Lists the cheapest voice, data and combo plans still active in 2025.
- Shows the one‑line USSD or SMS that migrates you (and what it costs).
- Flags hidden fees, bonus expiry traps and PAYG “leak” codes.
- Maps each plan to real‑world usage patterns—heavy caller, data fiend, night owl, international dialler, student.
- Explains how a SmartSMSSolutions wallet quietly adds a 1–2 % discount on every recharge, wiping out migration fees and topping up extra bundles.
Use the tables as quick reference or read end‑to‑end for the full money‑saving playbook.
MTN Nigeria – 2025 Tariff Menu
|
Plan |
Voice Economics |
Star Perk |
Migration Code |
Best For |
|
Pulse |
23 k/s flat |
Nightlife 500 MB @ ₦75 (up to 2 GB/night) |
*406*1# or text 406→312 |
Balanced users & night streamers |
|
BetaGist |
30 k/s + 3 free min after each 6 paid |
Effective ≈ 22 k/s on ≥ 12‑min calls |
*123*2*1# or BG→312 |
Marathon talkers |
|
XtraTalk 500‑5500 |
₦10.8 / min inside bundle |
Up to 438 min + 2 GB |
*312*5500#, V5500→312, etc. |
Voice‑heavy SMEs & hustlers |
|
XtraData 500‑5500 |
Token minutes + ₦0.40 / MB |
12.5 GB top tier |
*312*5500*1#, D5500→312 |
Data‑first users who still call |
|
mPulse (9‑15 yrs) |
20 k/s |
300 MB study bundle @ ₦50 |
*344*1# or mPulse→344 |
Students & parents |
Key MTN rules
- Migration fee: first switch in any 30‑day window is free; extra moves cost ₦102.
- Block PAYG data: *312*201# (re‑enable with *312*200#).
- Nightlife validity: 23 : 00–06 : 00; no rollover; buy nightly.
Which MTN plan for you?
- < 60 min voice & 3–5 GB daytime data: Pulse + monthly data bundle + Nightlife bursts.
- 200‑400 min voice, light browsing: XtraTalk 1500 or 3000—works out to ₦12–13 / min and some MB for chats.
- Long, unbroken family chats: BetaGist; keep average call ≥ 6 min to trigger the bonus cycle.
- Teen with e‑learning needs: mPulse—20 k/s and 4 GB study data @ ₦600/month.
Airtel Nigeria – 2025 Tariff Menu
|
Plan |
Voice Cost & Fee |
Data Angle |
Migration Code |
Best For |
|
SmartTrybe |
13 k/s all day, no fee |
Night 250 MB @ ₦25 or 1.5 GB @ ₦200 |
Dial *312# → 1, or text TRYBE → 312 |
Campus users, binge streamers |
|
SmartTalk 2.0 |
25 k/s flat, no daily fee |
None |
*315# |
Everyday callers who hate surprises |
|
SmartValue |
15 k/s + 20 k/s IDD (US/UK/Canada/China) |
None |
*314# |
Frequent international diallers |
|
SmartConnect 6.0 |
New‑SIM promo: 700 % bonus (data + voice) on every recharge ≤ ₦10 000 |
Bonus data scales with recharge |
Auto on brand‑new SIM |
First‑time Airtel users |
Good‑to‑know
- Night bundles only work on SmartTrybe.
- Airtel’s migration fee matches MTN’s: free first switch per 30 days, ₦100 thereafter (“Tariff Change Fee”).
- Block PAYG data: *400*1#.
Glo – 2025 Tariff Menu
|
Plan |
Core Offer |
Migration |
Why Choose |
|
Berekete Plus Plus |
700 % total bonus (voice + data) on every recharge for 6 months |
*230*1# |
You recharge frequently and talk Glo‑to‑Glo |
|
Super Talk (11k) |
15.5 k/s to all networks; no daily fee |
*311# |
Straight talk, no bonus clutter |
|
Glo Yakata |
22× airtime bonus + data on every recharge (new SIMs) |
Auto on new SIM |
Heavy data + Glo‑on‑net callers |
Berekete coverage caveat: in weak Glo zones, giant bonus data is pointless because speeds crawl. Test a friend’s SIM first.
9mobile – 2025 Tariff Menu
|
Plan |
Voice Rate |
Perks |
Code |
|
MoreCliq |
15 k/s (Cliq–Cliq cheaper) |
Up to 250 MB bonus on ₦200+ recharge |
*244*1# |
|
MoreTalk |
40 k/s 1st min/day, 25 k/s thereafter |
10 MB on ₦200+ recharge |
*200# → 1 → 1 |
|
MoreLife Complete |
15 k/s local + 20 k/s to US/UK/Canada |
Great IDD starter |
*620# |
Night & Weekend Data Summary
|
Network/Plan |
Bundle |
Price |
Hours |
₦/MB |
|
MTN Pulse |
500 MB |
₦75 |
23–06h |
0.15 |
|
Airtel SmartTrybe |
250 MB / 1.5 GB |
₦25 / ₦200 |
00–05h |
0.10–0.13 |
|
Glo (all plans) |
100 MB nightly bonus on ₦500+ recharge |
Free |
00–05h |
0 |
|
9mobile MoreCliq |
1 GB |
₦200 |
00–05h |
0.20 |
International‑Calling Sweet‑Spots
|
Use Case |
Best Plan |
Rate |
Activation |
|
Daily USA/Canada calls |
MTN XtraSpecial Post‑paid |
₦31.2 / min |
*409# (BVN) |
|
Ad‑hoc IDD + cheap local |
Airtel SmartValue |
20 k/s IDD + 15 k/s local |
*314# |
|
Bulk overseas minutes |
Glo IDD 100 mins |
₦10 / min (select 30 countries) |
*777# → IDD Packs |
Hidden Fees & PAYG Traps — Cheat Table
|
Network |
Sneaky Charge |
How To Kill It |
|
MTN |
Second migration inside 30 days = ₦102 |
Wait 30 days or use dual‑SIM |
|
Airtel |
SmartTrybe auto‑renews night bundle if airtime present |
Send STOP text to 312 after purchase |
|
Glo |
Berekete bonuses expire 7 days after recharge |
Recharge smaller, more often |
|
9mobile |
PAYG browsing keeps eating airtime after bundle ends |
Dial *229*0# to stop |
Picking the Right Plan — Quick Flow Chart
┌── Need ≥5 GB / month? ──► YES ─┬─ Night owl? ─► Pulse / Trybe + night bundles
│ │
Start ──┤ └─ Day surfer ─► XtraData 3 000 / Airtel weekly 7 GB
│
└── Need ≥200 voice min? ───► YES ─┬─ Avg call ≥6 min? ─► BetaGist
│
└─ Prefer pre‑paid bank? ─► XtraTalk 1 500 / 3 000
1‑2 % Extra Savings: SmartSMSSolutions in 60 Seconds
- Open a free wallet (web or Android).
- Fund via transfer, USSD or card (instant).
- Buy airtime or pay post‑paid bill—₦1 000 costs ₦980‑₦990 .
- Immediately dial the migration or bundle code.
On ₦60 000 annual spend you pocket ₦600–₁ 200—enough for eight extra Pulse Nightlife bundles or 40 BetaGist bonus minutes.
Conclusion
The NCC’s 30 k/s floor looks scary—but only if you stay on PAYG.
- Voice first? — MTN XtraTalk or Airtel SmartTalk 2.0.
- Data first? — Airtel SmartTrybe or MTN XtraData.
- Night owl? — Pulse Nightlife or SmartTrybe Night.
- Teen learner? — mPulse.
- Frequent US/Canada caller? — XtraSpecial Post‑paid or Airtel SmartValue.
Lock in the right plan, block PAYG leaks, schedule renewals, and funnel every recharge through SmartSMSSolutions. Your phone keeps talking and streaming—your wallet stays heavier.
Key Migration Codes (bookmark)
MTN Pulse *406*1#
MTN BetaGist *123*2*1#
MTN XtraTalk *312*Vcode#
Airtel Trybe *312#
Airtel SmartTalk *315#
Glo Berekete *230*1#
Glo 11k Plan *311#
9mobile MoreCliq *244*1#
Switching tariffs feels empowering—until you realise every extra hop inside a 30‑day window costs ₦100 – ₦102 and wipes out any unused bonuses you’d already paid for. That’s the telecom equivalent of buying a new bus ticket every time the traffic light turns red.
So make one smart move and stay put for a month.
- Pull last month’s call and data totals.
- Choose the single plan that mirrors those habits.
- Dial the migration code once, note the date, and set a calendar reminder for Day 29.
During that 30‑day stretch you’ll:
- avoid the migration penalty,
- preserve rollover‑eligible bundles,
- and build an accurate picture of whether the plan really fits—no second‑guessing blurred by mid‑cycle switches.
Dual‑SIM: The Stress‑Free Experiment
Still curious about a rival network’s offer? Drop a secondary SIM (or eSIM) in your phone: run data‑heavy bundles on one line and voice‑centric minutes on the other, or dedicate the spare slot to night‑only deals while your main SIM handles daytime business. The dual‑SIM approach lets you cherry‑pick the best of every network without paying repeat migration fees or losing bonuses on your primary number.
One plan, one month, one quick audit—then decide if you really need to roam again. Stick to that rhythm and the only thing you’ll lose is the shock of watching airtime disappear.