Comparison between 2015 and 2016 data plans for MTN, Airtel, Glo and Etisalat
Update: Glo Data Plan updates as of June 2016 included
As in 2016 data plans are getting cheaper, one might think that everything is getting better and competition amongst telco companies will bring a bright new era of cheap data.
While Misstechy calls it the Nigerian Data Wars, I have the impression that there is a common consensus: MTN lowered prices and everybody else followed. Read and compare to see if they did their homework.
For your convenicene, I compared data plans published on providers’ websites in late 2015 with data plans published in May 2016 when all providers updated (some) of their tariffs (but left a lot of them unchanged…). There are other offers around not listed here like MTN’s Unlimited ₦150 data plan but because they are not available for all customers we do not list them in this article.
Should I change my data plan?
- For those of you always short on data, some of the plans offer significantly additional data in 2016. Happy you if you already use one of these plans. If not, consider changing to a cheaper data plan or changing your provider.
- If you rarely run out of data, you can probably save money by changing to a cheaper plan.
- Keep in mind that if you regularly top-up airtime your data plan auto-renews with most of the tariffs. Learn about auto-renewal and how to turn it off on your provider’s overview page.
MTN 2016 Data Plans
For quite some time MTN seemed to be unimpressed by their competitors low pricing. This suddenly changed in May 2016 with a rather impressive data offensive. MTN made a complete makeover of their data tariffs and forced the others to follow.
Plan Name | Change since 2015 | Price | Data | Validity | Activation Code | Details |
MTN 30MB | Triple data Former MTN 10MB | ₦ 100 | 30 MB | 1 Days | Text “104” to 131 | Details |
MTN 100MB | Double data Former MTN50MB | ₦ 200 | 100 MB | 1 Days | Text “113” to 131 | Details |
MTN 750MB | Five times data Former MTN150MB | ₦ 500 | 750 MB | 7 Days | Text “103” to 131 | Details |
MTN 1.5GB | Six times data Former MTN260MB | ₦ 1000 | 1.5 GB | 30 Days | Text “106” to 131 | Details |
MTN 3.5GB | 4.7 times additional data Former MTN 750MB | ₦ 2000 | 3.5 GB | 30 Days | Text “110” to 131 | Details |
MTN 10GB | New | ₦ 5000 | 10 GB | 30 Days | Text “116” to 131 | Details |
MTN 22GB | New | ₦ 10000 | 22 GB | 30 Days | Text “117” to 131 | Details |
Airtel 2016 Data Plans
In 2015 we did not have all Airtel data plans in our listing. They added data to their ANDROID data plans (which despite their name are usable on all devices). They added the UNLIMITED data plans to their range of offers (which despite their name are not unlimited) and the UNLIMINET plans (this is not a typo) which are bundles of data, calls and SMS. Special award for creative product names…
Plan Name | Change since 2015 | Price | Data | Validity | Activation Code | Details |
Airtel FREE SURF | New | ₦ 0 | 0 MB | Other | *400# | Details |
Airtel 5-STAR PACK | New | ₦ 100 | 25 MB | 5 Days | *401# | Details |
Airtel Daily | 10 MB additional data | ₦ 100 | 30 MB | 1 Days | *410# | Details |
Airtel UNLIMITED DAY | New | ₦ 100 | 40 MB | 1 Days | *440*18# | Details |
Airtel 3-Day | New | ₦ 200 | 50 MB | 3 Days | *412# | Details |
Airtel UNLIMINET 200 | New | ₦ 200 | 20 MB | 1 Days | *489*1# | Details |
Airtel WEEKEND BUNDLE 200 | New | ₦ 200 | 200 MB | Other | *472# | Details |
Airtel TIME BASED 30 | New | ₦ 300 | Unlimited | Other | *439*3# | Details |
Airtel Weekly | 30 MB additional data | ₦ 300 | 80 MB | 7 Days | *417# | Details |
Airtel EASY | New | ₦ 500 | 750 MB | 14 Days | *418# | Details |
Airtel TIME BASED 60 | New | ₦ 500 | Unlimited | Other | *439*4# | Details |
Airtel WEEKEND BUNDLE 500 | New | ₦ 500 | 500 MB | Other | *473# | Details |
Airtel UNLIMITED WEEK | New | ₦ 525 | 200 MB | 7 Days | *440*17# | Details |
Airtel UNLIMINET 600 | New | ₦ 600 | 150 MB | 7 Days | *489*2# | Details |
Airtel ANDROID 1.0 | 500 MB additional data | ₦ 1000 | 1.5 GB | 30 Days | *496# | Details |
Airtel NIGHT 180 | New | ₦ 1000 | Unlimited | Other | *481*2# | Details |
Airtel UNLIMITED MONTH | New | ₦ 1500 | 3 GB | 30 Days | *435# | Details |
Airtel ANDROID 2.0 | 1.5 GB additional data | ₦ 2000 | 3.5 GB | 30 Days | *437# | Details |
Airtel ANDROID 2.5 | Double data | ₦ 2500 | 5 GB | 30 Days | *437*1# | Details |
Airtel UNLIMINET 3000 | New | ₦ 3000 | 2 GB | 30 Days | *489*3# | Details |
Airtel ANDROID 3.5 | Double data | ₦ 3500 | 7 GB | 30 Days | *438# | Details |
Airtel Smart12 | New | ₦ 5000 | 12 GB | 30 Days | *452# | Details |
Airtel UNLIMINET 5000 | New | ₦ 5000 | 3 GB | 30 Days | *489*4# | Details |
Airtel Smart24 | New | ₦ 8000 | 24 GB | 30 Days | *460# | Details |
Airtel Smart34 | New | ₦ 10000 | 34 GB | 30 Days | *462# | Details |
Airtel Smart30 | New | ₦ 15000 | 30 GB | 60 Days | *463# | Details |
Airtel SMART 50 | New | ₦ 36000 | 50 GB | Other | *406# | Details |
Airtel SMART 100 | New | ₦ 70000 | 100 GB | Other | *407# | Details |
Airtel SMART 200 | New | ₦ 136000 | 200 GB | Other | *408# | Details |
Glo 2016 Data Plans
Glo presents some new plans. Some adaptions. An improvement of the Glo So Special Plan. Solid work, no surprises.
Update: Glo changed their data plans from June 2016. See changes below.
Plan Name | Change since 2015 | Price | Data | Validity | Activation Code | Details |
Glo 1 Day Pack | New | ₦ 50 | 30 MB | 1 Days | *127*14# | Details |
Glo Instant Surf | Five times data | ₦ 100 | 100 MB | 1 Days | *127*51# | Details |
Glo N200 NIGHT PLAN | New | ₦ 200 | 1 GB | Other | *127*60# | Details |
Glo Smallie | Four times data | ₦ 200 | 200 MB | 3 Days | *127*56# | Details |
Glo One Week | Same | ₦ 400 | 65 MB | 7 Days | *127*52# | Details |
Glo Always Day | Same | ₦ 500 | 195 MB | 1 Days | *127*3# | Details |
Glo Big Week | Six times data +3 days validity | ₦ 500 | 1 GB | 10 Days | *127*57# | Details |
Glo N500 WEEKEND PLAN | New | ₦ 500 | 3 GB | Other | *127*61# | Details |
Glo Always Micro | 1 GB additional data | ₦ 1000 | 2 GB | 30 Days | *127*53# | Details |
Glo My Phone | Double data | ₦ 2000 | 6 GB | 30 Days | *127*55# | Details |
Glo So Special | 5.5 GB additional data | ₦ 2500 | 10 GB | 30 Days | *127*58# | Details |
Glo Always Macro | New | ₦ 3000 | 12 GB | 30 Days | *127*54# | Details |
Glo N4000 Data Plan | New | ₦ 4000 | 18 GB | 30 Days | *127*59# | Details |
Glo Always Min | Double data | ₦ 5000 | 24 GB | 30 Days | *127*2# | Details |
Glo G-Leisure | Same | ₦ 5000 | 4 GB | Other | *127*7# | Details |
Glo G 100 | Same | ₦ 6000 | 4 GB | Other | *127*5# | Details |
Glo G-Work | Same | ₦ 6000 | 4 GB | Other | *127*6# | Details |
Glo Always Max | Double data | ₦ 8000 | 48 GB | 30 Days | *127*1# | Details |
Glo Silver | Same | ₦ 10000 | 11 GB | 30 Days | *127*11# | Details |
Glo G 300 | Same | ₦ 15000 | 12 GB | Other | *127*4# | Details |
Glo Gold | 43 GB additional data | ₦ 15000 | 60 GB | 30 Days | *127*12# | Details |
Glo Platinum | 69 GB additional data | ₦ 18000 | 90 GB | 30 Days | *127*13# | Details |
Etisalat 2016 Data Plans
Etisalat introduced some new data plans in 2016. Especially the ₦1000 plan to comply with the rule: You must offer 1.5GB for ₦1000 and 3.5GB for ₦2000. Their data stays quite expensive though.
Plan Name | Change since 2015 | Price | Data | Validity | Activation Code | Details |
Etisalat Daily 10MB | New | ₦ 50 | 10 MB | 1 Days | *229*3*8# | Details |
Etisalat Daily 20MB | Double data Former Etisalat Daily 10MB | ₦ 100 | 20 MB | 1 Days | *229*3*1# | Details |
Etisalat 1GB weekend plan | New | ₦ 500 | 1 GB | Other | *5995*2# | Details |
Etisalat 1.5GB | New | ₦ 1000 | 1.5 GB | 30 Days | *229*2*7# | Details |
Etisalat 3.5GB | 1.5 GB additional data Former Etisalat 2GB | ₦ 2000 | 3.5 GB | 30 Days | *229*2*8# | Details |
Etisalat 8GB | Same | ₦ 8000 | 8 GB | 30 Days | *229*2*5# | Details |
Etisalat 10GB | Same | ₦ 10000 | 10 GB | 30 Days | *229*4*1# | Details |
Etisalat 15GB | Same | ₦ 15000 | 15 GB | 30 Days | *229*4*2# | Details |
Etisalat 20GB | Same | ₦ 18000 | 20 GB | 30 Days | *229*4*3# | Details |
Etisalat quaterly plan | Same | ₦ 27500 | 30 GB | Other | *229*5*1# | Details |
Etisalat bi-annual plan | Same | ₦ 55000 | 60 GB | Other | *229*5*2# | Details |
Etisalat 100GB Plan | Same | ₦ 84992 | 100 GB | 30 Days | *229*4*5# | Details |
Etisalat annual plan | Same | ₦ 110000 | 120 GB | Other | *229*5*3# | Details |
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