BetaTalk is gone and BetaGist is live. We crunch the numbers on MTN’s new plan, put voice-and-data costs side-by-side, explain the Betamix bundles and USSD shortcuts, and help you decide whether to stay, switch to Pulse or jump ship.

Nigeria’s most-loved bonus tariff is officially history. On 30 March 2025 MTN shut down BetaTalk and automatically began migrating customers to a brand-new plan called BetaGist. Below is a quick, practical guide to what changed, why it matters for your airtime and data budget, and how to subscribe to the new plan .

What Exactly Disappeared?

Voice-Cost Math: Who Pays More (or Less)?

BetaTalk

• Daily first-minute penalty: ₦25.20 (42 k/s × 60)
• Thereafter: ₦18.90/min (31.5 k/s)
• Effective rate for a 5-minute call:
• “First 60 s premium” + 4 min × 31.5 k/s ≈ ₦107

BetaGist

• Flat ₦18.00/min (30 k/s)
• Get-Back kicker: Every 9 min of talk time costs you only 6 min of airtime → effective ₦12.00/min if you always exhaust the freebies.

Bottom line: light callers who rarely crossed the first-minute cliff on BetaTalk will see lower bills on BetaGist right away. Heavy callers can save up to 36 % once Get-Back minutes are factored in.

Data Comparison

Pay-as-you-go browsing is five times cheaper on BetaGist. For micro-bundles, cost parity holds at the 40 MB price-point, while BetaTalk’s old 250 MB “awa-data” bundle offered better naira-per-megabyte value than BetaGist’s 100 MB equivalent. Regular data users will still get the best value by buying mainstream Data Plans under *312# rather than Betamix add-ons.

Why MTN Killed BetaTalk

1. Bonus inflation was untenable. Every ₦100 recharge forced MTN to hand out ₦350 (airtime + data) — a subsidy financed when voice ARPU was high but impossible once data traffic exploded.
2. Tariff liberalisation. In January 2025 the NCC authorised a 50 % upward review of headline tariffs, prompting MTN to normalise plans instead of layering on bonuses.
3. Simplicity wins. A single flat rate plus bite-sized Betamix bundles are easier to understand — and monetise — than a maze of bonus and bundle expiry rules.

How To Subscribe, Migrate Or Bail Out

Should You Stay or Switch?

• Stay on BetaGist if
• most of your calls exceed one minute,
• you’re happy with occasional 40–100 MB top-ups, or
• you burn through call minutes fast enough to exploit the 6 → 3 Get-Back offer.
• Switch to MTN Pulse (23 k/s + cheap night data) if data is king and you call briefly but often.
• Go XtraValue (combo voice+data bundles) if you need predictable monthly spend without juggling add-ons.

Quick FAQ

• Will my leftover BetaTalk airtime/data bonus survive the migration?
• Yes — it remains valid until its original expiry, but no new bonuses accrue while you’re on BetaGist. MTN Nigeria
• Is BetaGist the default for new SIMs?
• Yes, unless you actively choose the Pulse 1 GB welcome offer during registration. MTN Nigeria
• Any hidden daily access fee?
• None. The plan charges only the flat 30 k/s rate.

The retirement of BetaTalk closes Nigeria’s decade-long bonus bonanza, but it isn’t all bad news. BetaGist swaps headline freebies for a simpler flat rate, cheaper pay-as-you-go data and a Get-Back mechanic that rewards longer conversations. Light callers get immediate savings; heavy talkers can still beat 15 kobo per minute by mastering the 6-for-3 cycle. Data-first users may find better value on MTN Pulse or XtraValue, yet BetaGist’s clarity and lower PAYG rate signal a welcome shift toward cost transparency. As tariffs across all networks normalise and 5 G comes of age, sustainable pricing—not eye-catching bonuses—will define the next phase of Nigeria’s mobile story. Knowing the new rules lets you choose the plan that truly matches your pocket and lifestyle.