Updated for MTN’s April 2025 pricing, this long-read compares all voice tariffs, shows which old plans were axed, offers real-life usage scenarios, and adds a quick discount-airtime tutorial via SmartSMSSolutions—plus FAQs and pro tips.

In late March 2025 the NCC approved a long-debated upward review of mobile voice and data tariffs. Barely 72 hours later, every operator—MTN included—updated its price book, tweaking flagship offers and silently retiring older tariffs. For millions already squeezed by inflation, “tiny” increases of ₦0.05–₦0.10 per second can wipe an extra ₦6 000–₦12 000 from a yearly budget.

Knowing exactly what each MTN plan now charges—and how the perks stack up—has become a money-saving life skill. This 2 600-word guide pulls together every live MTN voice plan as of 27 April 2025, traces the discontinued offers dropped in March, illustrates them with everyday scenarios, and shows how to top-up for less with SmartSMSSolutions.

Evolution Of MTN Voice Plans (2013 → 2025)

Current MTN Voice Tariffs At A Glance

All prepaid PAYG calls outside bundle now bill at 30 k/s (₦18/min).

Case Scenarios: Picking The Right Plan

Scenario 1 – Ada, 14-Year-Old Student
Ada’s parents give her ₦1 000 monthly. She needs cheap calls for group assignments and light browsing for e-learning sites. She migrates to mPulse, buys the ₦50 300 MB Education bundle each week and enjoys 20 k/s calls—stretching her allowance.

Scenario 2 – Dapo, Fresh Graduate Hunting For Jobs
Dapo burns through call minutes talking to recruiters but streams light YouTube in the evenings. BetaGist suits him: after six minutes on any call he earns three free minutes, pushing his effective rate to ~20 k/s. He tops up large denominations on SmartSMSSolutions to save 2 %.

Scenario 3 – Chioma, Freelance Graphic Designer
Chioma’s gigs demand heavy data and occasional client calls. She subscribes to XtraData More ₦2 500 (6 GB + 17 min, 7 days). Her data works out at ₦0.37/MB; any long voice chat rides on those 17 bonus minutes at 10.8 ₦/min.

Scenario 4 – Mr Okoro, Sales Executive Travelling Often
Between Lagos and Toronto trips, Mr Okoro needs predictable bills and discounted international minutes. He migrates to XtraSpecial Postpaid , grabs the 40 GB / 60-day plan for ₦9 000 and dials Canada at ₦31.2/min.

Scenario 5 – Zainab, Fashion Vendor On Instagram Live
Zainab’s weekly “sell-out” live stream drains data but her customers call to confirm orders. She alternates Pulse Nightlife 500 MB @ ₦75 for uploads and XtraTalk ₦1 500 (117 min + 580 MB) for week-long call-heavy promos.

Tariffs Discontinued In March 2025 And Their Replacements

In-Depth Plan Breakdown

mPulse – Kid-Safe Savings

• Call rate: 20 kobo per second to every Nigerian network.
• Pay-as-you-go data: ₦3.07 / MB.
• Education bundles: 300 MB for ₦50 (7 days, multiple subscriptions) and 4 GB for ₦600 (30 days). Perfect for WAEC prep sites and the mPulse portal.
• Bonuses & controls:
• Free 30 MB the first time the SIM opens the mPulse site or app.
• Parent-Child Linking lets mum or dad push airtime or data, set weekly or monthly allowances, or cut service at exam time.
• Birthday reward – ₦200 airtime each year until the subscriber turns 16.
• Best fit: Primary- and junior-secondary pupils who need low-cost voice and light study data.

Pulse – Youth-Centric Flexibility

• Call rate: flat 23 kobo per second, no access fee.
• Nightlife bundle: 500 MB for ₦75, usable 11 p.m.–6 a.m.; buy up to 2 GB per night.
• Special social bundle: 1 GB Instagram/TikTok/YouTube for ₦300 (3-day validity).
• Pulse Points: earned on most data purchases, redeemable for more data or Nightlife bundles; points + airtime combos allowed.
• Migration perk: first switch in 30 days is free, later ones cost ₦102.
• Best fit: students, side-hustlers and streamers who value cheap data without giving up decent call rates.

BetaGist – “Talk-6-Get-3” Minutes

• Call rate: 30 kobo per second from the first second.
• Get-back bonus: every time you accumulate six paid minutes (360 s) you instantly receive three free minutes (180 s) valid for 48 hours; up to 6 000 bonus minutes per month.
• Betamix micro-bundles:
• Mini – ₦50: 40 MB + 1 bonus minute (24 h)
• Max – ₦100: 100 MB + 2 bonus minutes (24 h)
• Free migration: BetaGist is the default on all new MTN SIMs.
• Best fit: callers who routinely stay on the line longer than six minutes—think customer-care workers, recruiters and relationship-managers.

XtraValue – Bundles That Balance Voice And Data

All bundles bill in-bundle voice at ₦10.8/min; PAYG outside bundle reverts to 30 k/s.
Best fit: hybrid users who want a predictable bucket for both calls and browsing.

XtraSpecial Postpaid – Flat-Rate Power User

• Local voice: 20 kobo per second, zero access fee.
• International discount:
• Zone 1 – USA (except Alaska & VI), Canada, India, Malaysia @ ₦31.2/min
• Zone 2 – China plus USA-Alaska & USA-VI @ ₦62.4/min
• Credit limit: instant ₦2 000 on activation; reviewed upward when you pay bills on time.
• Data deals: 6.75 GB @ ₦3 000, 14.5 GB @ ₦5 000, 35 GB @ ₦7 000 (30 days) and 40 GB @ ₦9 000 (60 days).
• Billing cycle: meter closes last day of each month; payment due by the 5th (VIP: 16th).
• Best fit: frequent international dialers, corporate travellers, users who prefer a single monthly invoice instead of endless top-ups. Invalid URL

Buying Airtime Cheaper On SmartSMSSolutions

1. Sign up – create a free account on the web or Android app. You earn an immediate ₦20 wallet bonus on first registration. SmartSMSSolutions
2. Fund your wallet – transfer from any bank, use USSD or your debit card; include your unique wallet code in the narration for automatic crediting.
3. Buy airtime – pick MTN, type the phone number and amount, hit “buy”. Your line is credited instantly.
4. Save 2 % automatically – every ₦1 000 purchase costs about ₦980, so a user who tops up ₦5 000 each month keeps roughly ₦1 200 a year—worth 100 BetaGist bonus minutes. Headway
5. Bulk top-up – the “Bulk Airtime” tool lets SMEs send the same or varying amounts to dozens of staff phones in one click. Headway

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion: Stretch Your Airtime, Beat The 2025 Hike

Nigeria’s new tariff floor of 20–30 kobo per second means the wrong plan will leak cash fast. Teens keep costs rock-bottom on mPulse. Data-first millennials thrive on Pulse. Marathon talkers mine BetaGist’s 6-for-3 bonus. Balanced users cherry-pick XtraTalk or XtraData packs, while globe-trotters lock in XtraSpecial Postpaid’s flat rate and cheap US/Canada minutes. Combine any choice with SmartSMSSolutions’ 2 % airtime discount and you recoup at least one month of talk time every year. Make the switch that matches your lifestyle, talk longer, and spend less.