TalkMore converts ₦100–₦1 500 into up to 150 nationwide minutes—no daily fee, easy rollover and an effective 16 kobo/sec. Discover subscription codes, bundle maths, hidden hacks, cross-network comparisons and a surprise “pure-water test” that proves how much you save.
On a humid Lagos afternoon you duck into a kiosk for a chilled sachet of pure water—₦50 gone before the plastic even cools your palm. Now imagine spending less than that same ₦50 on a five-minute call to any network, even after Nigeria’s March-2025 tariff hike sent average rates through the roof. Sounds impossible? Hold that thought.
Since the NCC approved higher voice ceilings at the end of March, every operator has shuffled prices, bonuses and hidden fees. What used to be a quick “just dial” decision now risks draining thousands of naira a month if you pick the wrong plan. Airtel’s TalkMore bundles promise to relax that squeeze by converting a flat ₦100–₦1 500 into bulk nationwide minutes at an effective 16 kobo per second—roughly 40 % cheaper than today’s pay-as-you-go average.
But is TalkMore still the smartest choice after the dust settled? This guide dissects where the bundle came from, how it works, how it stacks up against Airtel’s newer SmartTalk Ultra and rivals like MTN BetaGist, and—most crucially—whether it can really beat the “pure-water price” for everyday conversations. Stick with me; we’ll put that five-minute phone-call test to the numbers right before the FAQs.
Why An Updated Guide Matters After March 2025
On 20 January 2025 the Nigerian Communications Commission approved a 50 % upward review of end-user tariffs. Average voice calls now hover around ₦13.80 per minute. With inflation biting, every mis-picked plan bleeds naira. TalkMore survives the price shake-up unchanged, offering bulk minutes at a discount that rivals still can’t match.
Evolution: From Bonus Craze To Predictable Minute Packs
Year |
Milestone |
What Changed |
2012–2024 |
Airtel relied on “6× bonus” offers (SmartCONNECT, 6× Bundles) |
Huge bonus but unpredictable call rates |
2023 |
Freedom Plan withdrawn; SmartTalk/Ultra become flat-rate defaults |
Users lost cheap bulk options |
2024 |
TalkMore Bundles refreshed with six easy price points |
Predictable minutes, no daily fees |
31 Mar 2025 |
Tariff hike hits flat-rate plans—but TalkMore prices remain |
Gap between TalkMore and PAYG widens |
TalkMore didn’t evolve from a dissolved plan; it filled the vacuum left when bonus tariffs died, giving callers a simple, transparent bulk-minute alternative.
TalkMore Bundle Catalogue
Bundle |
Price (₦) |
Minutes |
Validity |
Effective Rate |
TalkMore 100 |
100 |
10 |
3 days |
₦10/min = 16.67 k/sec |
TalkMore 200 |
200 |
20 |
7 days |
₦10/min |
TalkMore 300 |
300 |
30 |
7 days |
₦10/min |
TalkMore 500 |
500 |
50 |
14 days |
₦10/min |
TalkMore 1 000 |
1 000 |
100 |
14 days |
₦10/min |
TalkMore 1 500 |
1 500 |
150 |
30 days |
₦10/min |
At ₦10 per minute, all six bundles slash cost by 27 % relative to Airtel’s 25 kobo/sec PAYG (₦15/min).
Unique Features
- One Low Rate – 16.67 kobo/sec across Nigeria’s four networks.
- No Access Fee – every kobo buys talk-time, not hidden charges.
- Flexible Denominations & Validities – choose 3 to 30 days.
- Concurrent & Rollover Friendly – buy multiple, carry unused minutes forward when you top up before expiry.
- SMS Compatible – send national SMS from the bundle at ₦20/SMS.
How To Subscribe, Check And Manage
Action |
USSD Code |
Note |
Buy a bundle |
*234*1# |
Select value (₦100–₦1 500) |
Check balance |
*234*8# |
Shows remaining minutes + expiry |
Add another bundle |
Repeat purchase |
Validities run in parallel |
Rollover unused minutes |
Buy/renew before expiry |
Minutes adopt newest bundle’s validity |
Call, SMS & Data Charges While On TalkMore
Scenario |
Charge |
Calls from bundle |
16.67 k/sec (₦10/min) |
Calls after bundle exhausts |
25 k/sec (₦15/min) |
Local SMS |
₦20 each |
PAYG data |
₦4.6/MB |
Regular data bundles |
Any pack on *312# at normal prices |
TalkMore doesn’t include data, but you’re free to stack any Airtel data plan—vital because PAYG at ₦4.6/MB is steep.
TalkMore Vs Other Airtel Voice Offers
Plan |
Cost Model |
Hidden Fee |
Effective Rate* |
Best For |
TalkMore 500 |
50 min @ ₦500 |
None |
16.67 k/sec |
Predictable ≥60 min/month callers |
SmartTalk/Ultra |
25 k/sec PAYG |
None |
25 k/sec |
Light, irregular callers |
Flexi 1 000 |
20 min + 1.2 GB @ ₦1 000 |
None |
≈12 k/sec + data |
Balanced voice–data users |
SmartTRYBE (after 90 s) |
13 k/sec |
None |
13 k/sec |
Students, night surfers |
*Assumes users exhaust included minutes before expiry.
TalkMore Against Rival Networks (April 2025)
Network |
Equivalent Offer |
Minutes Per ₦500 |
Hidden Fee |
Real-World Rate |
Airtel TalkMore |
50 min |
None |
₦10/min |
|
MTN BetaGist |
PAYG 30 k/sec |
16.7 min |
None |
₦30/min flat SmartSMSSolutions |
Glo Super Talk |
15.5 k/sec |
32.3 min |
₦15 daily |
Break-even only after 97 s/day GloWorld |
9mobile MoreTalk |
40 k first min, 25 k thereafter |
20 min |
None |
Steep first minute SmartSMSSolutions |
Even after the tariff hike, TalkMore gives you 50 % more talk-time per ₦500 than MTN’s new flagship plan.
Who Should Pick TalkMore Bundles?
- Entrepreneurs making scheduled customer calls.
- Parents checking in on kids at boarding school.
- Users averaging 60–250 minutes monthly who find PAYG too pricey and unlimited packs overkill.
- Dual-SIM bargain hunters pairing a data-heavy SIM with a voice-only Airtel line.
Lowering Your Bill Further With OTT Apps
Need |
OTT Option |
Data Use* |
Cost Inside 3 GB Monthly Bundle |
Live chat |
WhatsApp Audio |
0.35 MB/min |
≈₦0.28/min |
Group call |
Telegram Voice |
0.25 MB/min |
≈₦0.20/min |
Quick update |
WhatsApp Voice Note |
0.05 MB/10 s |
Negligible |
*Data from field tests on 4 G. Combine TalkMore for quick, reliable calls and OTT for longer chats on Wi-Fi.
Buying Airtime The Cheaper Way
- Visit https://xmx1.net/buyairtime .
- Choose Airtel, enter amount and phone number.
- Pay via USSD, transfer or card.
- Earn up to 2 % instant discount, which means your next TalkMore 500 effectively costs ₦490—shaving another ₦0.33/min off the bundle price.
Extra Tips & Gotchas
- Bundle minutes work for local calls only; international traffic bills from your main airtime.
- SMS from TalkMore cost ₦20, twice the standard ₦6 on PAYG plans—save SMS for emergencies.
- Always set a renewal reminder; once a bundle expires unused minutes vanish.
- To avoid PAYG surprises, activate “Data Off” in phone settings when you only need voice.
Paying Off The Hook: The Pure-Water Test
A 50-cl sachet water + snacks combo sells for ₦50. With TalkMore 100 you get 10 minutes—so a five-minute call “eats” ₦50 worth of your bundle. But because that ₦50 was part of a ₦100 pack, the actual cash you spent on that five-minute chat is just ₦50 , cheaper than the refreshment that fuels it. In contrast, the same call on MTN BetaGist costs ₦150—triple the pure-water price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Does TalkMore attract a daily access fee?
No. Every kobo you pay converts to minutes.
Q2. Can I buy TalkMore while on SmartTalk or SmartTRYBE?
Yes—bundles are tariff-agnostic and simply bill first.
Q3. What happens when my minutes finish?
Calls revert to Airtel’s PAYG 25 kobo/sec.
Q4. Can I gift TalkMore minutes?
No. You can only share regular airtime.
Q5. Do unused minutes rollover automatically?
Only if you purchase another TalkMore before the current one expires.
Q6. Is there a TalkMore bundle with data?
No. Pair a data plan from *312# for browsing.
Q7. How do I check bundle expiry?
Dial *234*8#.
Conclusion: Making The Informed Choice
With an unbreakable ₦10/min headline, zero fees, rollover flexibility and resilience against the March-2025 tariff surge, TalkMore is still the most predictable way to budget voice calls in Nigeria. Match your average monthly minutes to the right denomination, top-up at a discount through SmartSMSSolutions, and blend in VoIP for lengthier conversations. Do that and the only thing you’ll overspend on is maybe another sachet of water.