Full walkthrough of Glo’s *805# Simple Recharge: link bank, buy airtime or data in seconds, gift friends, fix “phone not linked” errors and combine with a SmartSMSSolutions discount. Includes safety tips, fee table and cross‑network comparisons.
Since Nigeria’s telecom tariffs jumped in March 2025, every kobo of airtime counts—and wasting ₦100 on a taxi just to buy a scratch card makes no sense. Enter Glo Simple Recharge: dial *805#, choose your bank, punch the amount and your phone lights up with airtime or data within seconds. No smartphone? No problem; the USSD runs on the most basic feature phone.
Yet many users still stumble on “phone not linked” errors, unrecognised banks or suspicious SMS fees. This 2 500‑word guide removes the guesswork:
- Quick‑start linking process for 25 Nigerian banks and fintech wallets.
- Step‑by‑step airtime, data, IDD bundle and GloTV purchases—plus gifting tricks.
- Troubleshooting the six common USSD error messages.
- Security best practices: PINs, transaction caps and SMS alerts.
- How to stack SmartSMSSolutions’ 1–2 % wallet discount (buy airtime) on top of Simple Recharge when your bank USSD fees spike.
- Cross‑network comparison: MTN *904#, Airtel *444#, 9mobile *329#.
By the end, you’ll recharge faster than you can scratch a card—and save enough to cover several daily access fees on Super Talk or extra night bundles on MTN Pulse.
What Is Glo Simple Recharge?
Simple Recharge (also called Glo E‑Top Up) is an electronic value‑distribution system that routes airtime or data purchases directly through your bank or mobile wallet. Instead of buying a scratch card or logging into an over‑the‑top app, you dial *805#
, pick your bank, select the amount, confirm with a PIN (if your bank requires one) and you’re done.
Why it matters after the 2025 price hike:
- No transport cost to the kiosk—saves ₦200–₦500/month for rural users.
- Instant reload during voice calls to avoid PAYG drop‑offs at ₦30 k/s.
- Works offline when data bundles expire.
Supported Banks & USSD Codes
|
Bank / Wallet |
USSD Shortcut |
Requires PIN? |
Daily Limit (default) |
|
GTBank |
*737# |
Yes |
₦20 000 |
|
FirstBank |
*894# |
Yes |
₦20 000 |
|
Access Bank |
*901# |
Yes |
₦50 000 |
|
UBA |
*919# |
Yes |
₦30 000 |
|
Zenith |
*966# |
Yes |
₦100 000 |
|
Polaris |
*833# |
Yes |
₦50 000 |
|
OPay Wallet |
*955# |
Yes (transaction PIN) |
₦200 000 |
|
More (Sterling, Fidelity, Union, Wema, etc.) |
See list above |
Yes |
Varies |
Tip: If your bank’s USSD fails, fall back to SmartSMSSolutions wallet as a universal backup.
One‑Time Phone‑To‑Bank Linking (10 Taps)
- Dial
*805#. - Choose 1 “Top‑Up via Bank”.
- Scroll to your bank (e.g., Access Bank = option 3).
- If first‑time, you’ll see “Your phone not linked” → press 1 “Link Now.”
- Enter last 4 digits of your bank ATM card or specified linking PIN.
- Create a 4‑digit Simple Recharge PIN if bank demands it.
- Receive SMS: “You have successfully linked 0805 XXXX XXX to Access Bank.”
- Dial *805# again → select bank → enter amount (₦100–₦50 000).
- Enter Simple Recharge PIN.
- Airtime arrives; bank debits and sends receipt SMS.
Total time for repeat top‑ups once linked: under 10 taps.
Airtime, Data & Bundle Purchase Flows
4.1 Airtime Self‑Top‑Up
*805# → 1 (Bank) → Select Bank → 1 (self) → input amount → PIN → success SMS.
4.2 Data Bundle Self‑Top‑Up
*805# → 1 (Bank) → Select Bank → 2 “Data” → choose bundle (e.g., 1.6 GB/₦500) → confirm → PIN.
4.3 Buy For Others
*805# → Select Bank → 3 “Top‑Up Others” → enter recipient number → choose airtime or data → amount → PIN.
Use‑case: Parents sending ₦200 data to a student’s phone without leaving WhatsApp.
4.4 Buy IDD Bundles or GloTV Packs
Same tree: *805# → Bank → 4/5 for IDD or GloTV → pick pack → PIN.
Remember: IDD Packs credit instantly but minutes start ticking validity the moment purchase succeeds.
Error Messages & Fixes
|
Error |
Likely Cause |
Fix |
|
“Phone not linked to account” |
SIM not registered with bank |
Use bank USSD (*901#, *894# etc.) to link phone first |
|
“Institution not authorised” |
Bank hasn’t enabled E‑Top Up |
Call bank, request “USSD Airtime Service” activation |
|
“ESME no response” |
Bank host offline |
Retry later or switch to SmartSMSSolutions |
|
“Transaction declined, limit exceeded” |
Over daily cap |
Switch to card top‑up on SmartSMSSolutions or wait 24 h |
|
“Incorrect PIN” |
Wrong Simple Recharge PIN |
Dial bank USSD to reset PIN |
Fees, Limits & Security Best Practices
|
Item |
Typical Range |
Who Charges It |
How To Minimise |
|
USSD Session Fee |
₦6.98 – ₦7.50 |
Telco via bank |
Use one concise session; avoid retries |
|
Bank Convenience Fee |
0 – ₦10 |
Some banks (e.g., FCMB, Zenith) |
Switch to banks that waive fee or use SmartSMSSolutions |
|
Daily Limit |
₦20 000 – ₦100 000 |
Bank‑defined |
Split purchases across days or use card top‑up |
|
Fraud Risk |
SIM‑swap & PIN theft |
Fraudsters |
Set SIM lock, hide USSD replies, use 2‑factor alerts |
Security Checklist
- Set a SIM PIN (Settings → Security → SIM Lock).
- Never share Simple Recharge PIN or OTP SMS.
- Enable transaction alerts on banking app.
- Immediately call bank & Glo to block SIM if lost.
SmartSMSSolutions Discount Combo
Even if your bank waives USSD fees, Simple Recharge still charges full face value. To claw back 1–2 %:
- Visit buy airtime , log in.
- Fund wallet via transfer/card; ₦1 000 costs ≈ ₦980–₦990 .
- Use wallet to e‑top‑up self or friends; no session fee, no PIN resets.
- Still need bank USSD in emergencies? Keep it linked as backup.
Hybrid Workflow Example:
|
Situation |
Tool |
Why |
|
At home, data on |
SmartSMSSolutions web/app |
Cheapest (1–2 % off) |
|
No data / weak 3G |
Glo *805# Simple Recharge |
Works offline |
|
Friend on MTN asks for top‑up |
SmartSMSSolutions wallet |
Multi‑network support |
Competitor USSD Recharge Options
|
Network |
USSD |
Access Fee |
Bank Linking Needed? |
|
* MTN 904# |
₦6.98 session |
No—defaults to bank on first use |
|
|
* Airtel 444# |
₦6.98 session |
Yes—via bank OTP |
|
|
* 9mobile 329# |
₦6.98 session |
Yes—but some banks limited |
|
|
* Glo 805# |
₦6.98 session |
Yes—one‑time link |
Take‑away: All networks share the same USSD session fee set by CBN/NCC; difference lies in supported banks and bundle purchase menus. Glo’s 805# uniquely supports IDD Packs and GloTV from the same tree.
Frequently Asked Questions
|
Q |
A |
|
* Can I unlink a bank from 805#? |
Yes—dial *805# → 6 “Manage Bank” → 2 “Unlink.” |
|
Is there a minimum recharge? |
₦50 for airtime, ₦100 for data. |
|
Can post‑paid lines use Simple Recharge? |
Yes—payment appears on next bill. |
|
Does Simple Recharge trigger Berekete Smart bonuses? |
Yes—platform is treated like any e‑Top‑Up. |
|
What if I port my number away from Glo? |
Simple Recharge stops working; re‑link new network’s USSD. |
Conclusion & 30‑Day Action Plan
Simple Recharge turns your keypad into an ATM for airtime—but only when set up right.
- Link your most fee‑friendly bank today via
*805#. - Create a strong 4‑digit PIN and lock your SIM.
- Top‑up once through SmartSMSSolutions to benchmark the 1–2 % savings.
- Record daily spend for 30 days; compare USSD vs wallet cost.
- Decide a hybrid rule:
- Use SmartSMS when data available.
- Use *805# for offline emergencies.
Follow this rhythm and you’ll never scratch a card again, never pay an avoidable kiosk markup, and still pocket enough savings each quarter to fund extra night bundles or an IDD Pack.