Airtel Data Plans in Nigeria 2026: Prices, Codes and Best Value (October 2026)

📌 Quick Summary: Dial *312# on your Airtel line to buy data, or use the My Airtel app. Entry prices on Airtel Nigeria’s official table: 75MB for ₦75 (1 day), 1GB for ₦800 (7 days), 2GB for ₦1,500 (30 days) and 25GB for ₦8,000 (30 days). The largest bundle is 685GB for ₦100,000 (365 days). Check your balance with *323#. Prices below were checked against Airtel’s official data plans page on 8 October 2026.

Airtel’s data prices and bundle sizes have changed repeatedly, so lists written a year ago are often wrong. This guide copies the current table from Airtel Nigeria’s own website and adds the rules Airtel publishes on rollover, grace periods and auto-renewal. Anything Airtel’s page does not state, such as per-plan SMS codes, has been left out rather than guessed.

How to Buy Airtel Data

Airtel’s page gives these routes: dial *312# and choose a plan, use the My Airtel app (Play Store or App Store), or buy through your bank app or website. Airtel lists *312# as its data code and does not list individual USSD shortcodes for each bundle, so the menu is the reliable route. To buy data for someone else, dial *312#, choose the plan, then select Buy for others.

Airtel Daily and Night Plans

On this table, the ₦50 plan is the only night-only bundle (12 midnight to 5am).

Airtel Weekly Plans (7 Days)

The “YouTube Night” allocation on weekly and monthly plans can only be used on YouTube (app or web), between 12am and 5am, inside the plan’s validity, according to Airtel’s FAQ. It cannot be used for other video sites or apps.

Airtel Monthly Plans (30 Days)

Airtel Long-Term Plans (90 Days and Above)

Airtel Everyday-ON Plans

Airtel describes these as plans designed to keep you connected every day. They are priced for 30 days.

Airtel Social Plans

Airtel’s social plans cover WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.

Airtel Binge Data Plans

Airtel markets these for downloading films, watching series or streaming online classes, and says Binge plans come with a free hour of YouTube daily. You can reach them by dialling *312# and choosing Binge Plans.

Airtel vs MTN: Same Volume, Compared Price

We checked both networks’ official pages on the same day. Only bundles of the same or nearly the same size are compared here. Bonuses differ between plans, and this table says nothing about network quality in your area.

Where the volumes match exactly, Airtel is equal or cheaper. Where MTN’s bundle is a little larger (36GB, 165GB and 800GB against Airtel’s 35GB, 160GB and 685GB), MTN is giving more data for the extra naira, so compare the per-MB rates too. Airtel’s cheapest printed rate is ₦0.14 per MB (685GB yearly) against MTN’s ₦0.15 per MB (800GB yearly).

Rollover, Grace Period and Expiry

Airtel’s terms say validity counts from the day you activate: a 7-day plan expires on the sixth day after activation, and a 30-day plan on the twenty-ninth day after activation. After a bundle expires there is a grace period during which your unused data is held but you cannot use it. Daily plans have a 1-day grace period, weekly plans 3 days and monthly plans 7 days. Airtel’s FAQ adds that Everyday-ON plans have a 1-day grace period.

To keep unused data, renew before the grace period ends. Airtel’s terms say you must renew the same bundle; its FAQ says you must buy another plan from the same category. Because the two statements differ slightly, the safest move is to renew the identical plan. Airtel also states that unused bonus data is not rolled over outside the grace period.

Auto-Renewal

Airtel says its bundles renew automatically only if you agreed to it. At activation you are asked whether to turn on auto-renewal, and renewal happens only if you have enough airtime. Airtel says it sends an SMS before each renewal so you can cancel. If you say no, your access ends when the plan expires and you must buy again. Airtel’s page refers to opt-out codes but does not list them, so check the My Airtel app if you want to switch auto-renewal off later.

Checking Your Balance and Paying As You Go

Dial *323# or open the My Airtel app to check your data balance. If you have no bundle, Airtel’s pay-as-you-use option charges ₦4.60 per MB, activated by dialling *400#. At that rate, even a 75MB bundle for ₦75 is far cheaper than browsing without one.

Speeds: What Airtel Actually Promises

Airtel states it provides “best effort” service and does not guarantee any specific speed. The maximum throughput it lists is 236Kbps on 2G, 42Mbps on 3G and 150Mbps on 4G. Real speeds depend on how many people are using the network near you, your device and the network type available at your location.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Airtel data code?

Dial *312#. Airtel’s official page gives this as its data code.

How do I check my Airtel data balance?

Dial *323# from your Airtel line or open the My Airtel app.

What is the cheapest Airtel data plan?

The smallest daytime bundle is 75MB for ₦75 (1 day). The ₦50 plan gives 250MB but only between 12 midnight and 5am. The cheapest 30-day plan on the table is 2GB for ₦1,500.

Can I buy Airtel data for another person?

Yes. Dial *312#, choose the plan you want, then pick the Buy for others option.

Does unused Airtel data roll over?

Yes, if you renew within the plan’s grace period (1 day for daily, 3 days for weekly, 7 days for monthly). Renew the same plan to be safe, and note that unused bonus data is not rolled over outside the grace period.

Sources

1. Airtel Nigeria — Data Plans & Bundles — airtel.com.ng/ng/personal/data/data_offers/data_plans
2. MTN Nigeria — Data Plans — mtn.ng/data/data-plans/ (used for the comparison table)

Prices, volumes and validity as shown on Airtel Nigeria’s official data plans page when checked on 8 October 2026. Airtel may change its bundles at any time — confirm on *312# or airtel.com.ng before you buy. Last updated: 8 October 2026 · NaijaSabi Tech Desk.