Flat 16 k/sec sounds perfect until ₦7.50 bites your balance each day. This deep‑dive recalculates MoreLife Complete’s break‑even point post‑March‑2025 tariff hike, pits it against MTN, Airtel and Glo, reveals hidden VAT, and shows dual‑SIM hacks that keep every kobo in‑check.
On 31 March 2025, the Nigerian Communications Commission completed a 50 % tariff adjustment that lifted the legal voice floor price from ₦6.40/min to ₦9.60/min and bumped SMS to ₦6. Operators rewrote their tariff sheets overnight: 9mobile’s default prepaid call now bills at about 42 kobo per second (VAT‑in).
Amid that price storm, MoreLife Complete still advertises 16 k/sec across all Nigerian networks—nearly 62 % cheaper than the new default. The trade‑off? A ₦7.50 daily access fee (charged at the first outbound call). On paper it’s a bargain; in practice, its value hinges on how many seconds you actually talk each day .
This article uses fresh 2025 data to:
- Unpack the updated MoreLife Complete tariff structure.
- Calculate the true break‑even against default prepaid and rival plans.
- Compare it with MTN TruTalk, Airtel TalkMore and Glo Berekete.
- Offer dual‑SIM, usage‑timing and recharge hacks to stretch savings.
- Deliver a verdict for students, traders, gig‑workers and SMEs.
By the end, you’ll know if those ₦7.50 coins work for—or against—your pocket.
MoreLife Complete 2025 Snapshot
|
Item |
Pre‑Hike 2024 |
Post‑Hike May 2025 |
|
Voice Tariff |
16 k/sec |
16 k/sec (unchanged) |
|
Daily Access Fee |
₦5.00 |
₦7.50 (VAT excl.) |
|
SMS |
₦4 |
₦6 |
|
International Dest. |
11 k/sec to top 10 |
14 k/sec (due to FX) |
|
Migration Code |
|
unchanged |
Why the fee jumped by 50 %? 9mobile indexed the access fee to the NCC’s floor‑price uplift to keep the plan’s internal economics intact.
The Break‑Even Equation
Daily break‑even seconds = Access Fee / (Default Tariff – MoreLife Tariff)
Default prepaid tariff ≈ 42 k/sec (VAT‑in)
MoreLife tariff = 17.2 k/sec (16 k + 7.5 % VAT)
Access fee = ₦8.06 (₦7.50 + VAT)
ini
CopyEdit
Seconds=8.06/ (0.42–0.172) ≈36seconds
Talk at least 36 seconds per day (≈ 18 s for two calls) and you’re saving money. Anything less, and the fee outweighs the low rate.
Monthly Perspective
|
Monthly Outbound Minutes |
MoreLife Total Cost |
Default Prepaid Cost |
Net Savings |
|
30 (≈1 min/day) |
₦1 039 |
₦1 260 |
₦221 |
|
10 (occasional) |
₦866 |
₦420 |
−₦446 (loss) |
|
100 |
₦1 659 |
₦4 200 |
₦2 541 |
|
300 |
₦3 159 |
₦12 600 |
₦9 441 |
Calculations include VAT; access fee applied 30 days. Clearly, light callers (≤ 10 min/month) bleed naira, while anyone past the 18 s/day threshold gains progressively.
Hidden Costs & Fine‑Print
|
Clause |
Impact |
|
Access Fee VAT: You pay ₦8.06, not ₦7.50. |
|
|
First‑Call Timing: If your only call is at 23:55, you still pay again after midnight. |
|
|
PROMO Migration Penalty: Switching plans twice in 30 days triggers a ₦100 fee. |
|
|
Data Rate: PAYG browsing bills at ₦51/MB —pricey. Buy a bundle instead. |
|
|
USSD Fails When Balance < ₦8.06: Ensure you have at least ₦9 before first call. |
Rival Plan Face‑Off (2025)
|
Network |
Plan |
Voice Rate |
Compulsory Fee |
Break‑Even (vs 42 k/sec) |
Verdict |
|
9mobile |
MoreLife Complete |
16 k/sec |
₦7.50/day |
18 s/day |
Wins for moderate callers |
|
MTN |
TruTalk |
23 k/sec |
₦10/day |
25 s/day |
Costlier, higher fee |
|
Airtel |
TalkMore (voice bundle) |
16 k/min |
₦100 / bundle |
Needs 6 min recharge cycle |
Good for burst calls |
|
Glo |
Berekete |
36 k/sec |
None |
— |
Loses on rate |
MTN & Airtel data from promo flyers, April–May 2025.
MoreLife thus keeps the lowest per‑second cost among fee‑based prepaid offers, and its daily fee is still smaller than MTN’s ₦10. But if you’re a very light caller, an outright pay‑as‑you‑go SIM (Glo Berekete) could bleed less.
Dual‑SIM & Timing Hacks
- Stack SIMs: Put MoreLife in SIM 1 for calls; stuff data‑centric SIM (MTN Pulse or Glo SME Flexi) in SIM 2.
- Batch Calls: Make all outward calls in one cluster daily to avoid paying two fees across midnight.
- Access‑Fee‑Free Days: Purely receiving calls won’t trigger the fee—disable accidental outbound via call‑barring if travelling.
- SmartSMSSolutions Top‑Up: Use the online portal to load ₦100 at 06:00; your balance covers the day’s fee and ~2 min calls—no bank queue needed.
- Weekend Swap: For binge‑talk weekends, migrate temporarily to ComboBasic (₦1 000, 12 k/sec, no daily fee), then hop back after 7 days; just mind the ₦100 switch charge.
Advanced Cost Simulations (2025 Pricing, VAT‑Inclusive)
|
User Persona |
Daily Outbound Calls |
Monthly Outbound Minutes |
Total Monthly Spend on MoreLife Complete |
Spend on Default 42 k/sec Pre‑paid |
Net Gain / (Loss) |
|
WhatsApp‑First Student |
1× 20 s check‑in |
10 min |
₦866 (₦8.06 × 30 days + ₦172 talk) |
₦420 |
(₦446) loss — go 9Konfam or Glo PAYG |
|
Market Trader |
8× 15 s price quotes |
60 min |
₦1 199 |
₦2 520 |
₦1 321 saved |
|
e‑Hailing Driver (Peak Hours) |
15× 35 s rider calls |
262 min |
₦2 419 |
₦10 980 |
₦8 561 saved |
|
Side‑Hustle Freelancer |
4× 2 min client calls |
240 min |
₦2 131 |
₦10 080 |
₦7 949 saved |
|
Corporate Sales Rep |
25× 3 min pitches |
2 250 min |
₦6 531 |
₦94 500 |
₦87 969 saved |
Assumptions: 30 chargeable days; call totals rounded.
Insights
- Anyone who speaks ≥ 18 seconds a day beats the access fee.
- Savings scale dramatically for voice‑heavy roles (drivers, sales reps).
- Ultra‑light users (≤ 10 min/month) lose money—pick 9Konfam or a rival PAYG SIM and keep MoreLife only for incoming.
Case Studies
1 — Dual‑SIM Student:
SIM 1 (MoreLife Complete) handles late‑night campus security calls; SIM 2 (Glo N100 night data) powers video streams. Result: voice > 20 s/day so fee justified, data much cheaper on Glo.
2 — Trader With Feature Phone:
Makes short, frequent calls but no data. Switches to MoreLife Complete and saves ₦1 300/month (table above). Had she stayed on 9Konfam, 83 k/sec bonus rate would eat margins.
3 — Ride‑Hailing Driver:
Uses MoreLife Complete for dispatcher and rider calls; hotspots an MTN Pulse SIM for Google Maps. After the 50 % hike, driver still pockets > ₦8 500 savings each month.
Frequently Asked Questions
|
Question |
Answer |
|
Does the ₦7.50 fee apply if I send just an SMS? |
No—only an outbound voice call triggers the fee. |
|
Can I pause the plan during vacation? |
Migrate to default prepaid ( |
|
What if I forget and dial after 23:55? |
You’ll pay twice within 10 minutes (just before & after midnight). Batch calls earlier to avoid this. |
|
Is data cheaper on MoreLife Complete? |
PAYG is ₦51/MB—buy a bundle or use a second SIM for data. |
|
Can I combine MoreLife Complete with CUG? |
Yes—pay ₦1 000 one‑off to add any 9mobile number to your zero‑rated Closed User Group. |
Verdict—Who Should Keep or Skip the ₦7.50 Fee?
|
Keep MoreLife Complete if… |
Consider Alternatives if… |
|
You speak > 1 min most days and want the lowest per‑second rate nationwide. |
You average < 10 min/month (grab 9Konfam or Glo PAYG). |
|
You’re a driver, trader, salesperson or anyone with many short calls. |
You need credit terms—MoreLife Hybrid or Classic Postpaid fit better. |
|
You can manage calls to avoid double‑fee at midnight . |
You’re a data‑first user—Combopak ComboBlack or MTN Pulse gives bigger data bundles. |
Bottom Line: After Nigeria’s 2025 price surge, MoreLife Complete still slashes voice costs by up to 90 % —but only if you cross the 18‑second daily threshold. Pair it with:
- SmartSMSSolutions for fast, fee‑free top‑ups (avoid ₦8.06 “first‑call surprise”).
- A data‑optimised second SIM to dodge ₦51/MB PAYG.
- Batch‑calling discipline to maximise every kobo.
Call often? Keep it. Call rarely? Switch. Your wallet knows best.