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:

1. Lists the cheapest voice, data and combo plans still active in 2025.
2. Shows the one‑line USSD or SMS that migrates you (and what it costs).
3. Flags hidden fees, bonus expiry traps and PAYG “leak” codes.
4. Maps each plan to real‑world usage patterns—heavy caller, data fiend, night owl, international dialler, student.
5. 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

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

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

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

Night & Weekend Data Summary

International‑Calling Sweet‑Spots

Hidden Fees & PAYG Traps — Cheat Table

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

1. Open a free wallet (web or Android).
2. Fund via transfer, USSD or card (instant).
3. Buy airtime or pay post‑paid bill—₦1 000 costs ₦980‑₦990 .
4. 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.

1. Pull last month’s call and data totals.
2. Choose the single plan that mirrors those habits.
3. 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.