Top 10 Cheapest MTN Data Plan Codes in 2025 you should know

So, you've searched the web high and low for cheap MTN data codes but couldn't find any that hit the mark? I get it.

But what if you could slash your data expenses by up to 100%?

Yes, you read that right—100%! These are the exact strategies I've been using to keep my spending on MTN data in check, and I'm about to share them with you.

They say "data is life," but that life shouldn't come at a cost that leaves your bank account gasping for air.

Getting cheap data on MTN has become more important than ever, especially as the cost of living in Nigeria continues to rise. This has been intensified by the recent 50% telecom tariff hike proposed by the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), as reported by THISDAY.

In this post, I'll not only list the top 10 cheapest data plan codes on MTN you need to know but also share some killer tips and strategies I use to get cheap data on MTN and other Nigerian networks.

Let's dive in!

Quick Reference: Top 10 MTN Data Codes

For a quick overview, here are the top 10 cheapest data plan codes. You can get many of these plans at up to a 3% discount from EDPlugNG. Find more details on eligibility and strategies in the sections below.

Plan Name	USSD Code	Price per GB
MTN Special Data Offer (MTN4ME)	*121#	Varies (e.g., ₦200/GB)
2GB (2-Day) Plan	*312*154#	₦375
2.5GB (2-Day) Plan	*312*146#	₦360
3.2GB (2-Day) Plan	*312*180#	₦312.50
7GB (2-Day) Plan	*312*183#	₦257.10
6GB (7-Day) Plan	*312*143#	₦416.70
11GB (7-Day) Plan	*312*181#	₦318.20
500MB Pulse Nightlife Plan	*406*3#	₦153.60
165GB (30-Day) Plan	*312*149#	₦212.10
800GB (365-Day) Plan	*312*186#	₦156.25

Understanding How Data Plans Work on MTN

Before we jump into the codes, it's crucial to understand how MTN structures its data plans. Knowing this will help you choose the right plan for your needs and your wallet!

MTN has a massive variety of data plans that many subscribers don't even know exist.

It's not surprising that people are constantly searching for cheap data codes. When you're faced with an overwhelming number of options, it's easy to get confused or miss out on the most affordable deals.

So, let me break down the logic behind these data plans that might not be so obvious.

The Lower the Validity, the Cheaper the Data

MTN and other networks offer data plans with different validity periods—the amount of time you have to use the data. Any data you don't use within this period expires, though there's usually a short grace period to roll it over.

It makes sense that data with a shorter validity period is cheaper than plans that give you more time.

For example, you can get a 2GB data plan with a 2-day validity on MTN for ₦750. That works out to just ₦375 per 1GB.

Now, let's compare that with a plan that has a longer validity. The 2GB plan with a 30-day validity costs ₦1,500, which is equivalent to ₦750 per 1GB.

That's a 100% price difference! Imagine the money you could save by choosing the 2-day plan just to download a 50-minute movie. These types of plans are perfect for short-term, high-data needs like downloading large files or important software updates.

So, if you need a quick data fix, your best bet is a plan with the lowest validity!

The Bigger the Data Quantity, the Cheaper the Data

Just like with validity, buying data in bulk is almost always cheaper. If you need a more affordable rate, consider opting for a larger data plan.

Let's use our 2-day validity plans to illustrate this. The 2GB plan for ₦750 gives you data at ₦375/GB.

Now, let's look at bigger plans with the same 2-day validity:

Plan	Price	Price per GB	Savings vs. 2GB Plan
2.5GB (2 Days)	₦900	₦360	4%
3.2GB (2 Days)	₦1,000	₦312.50	16.7%
7GB (2 Days)	₦1,800	₦257.10	31.4%

As you can see, the 7GB plan offers incredible value for money. If you want cheaper data, going for a bigger bundle can lead to significant savings.

Bundled Data Plans Are Often More Expensive

MTN is a pro at upselling customers with bundled data plans. These are plans that come with extras you may or may not need, like social media data for YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, or bonus airtime and voice minutes.

The catch? Many people never use these extra bundles, which often have restrictions (like being usable only at night). This means you're paying more for less value.

For example, the 14.5GB (30-day) value data plan costs ₦5,000. In contrast, a 12.5GB (30-day) plan bundled with YouTube data costs ₦5,500. You're paying 10% more for 2GB less data! So, next time, think carefully about whether you really need those extras.

Your Tariff Plan Determines Your Eligibility

This is another crucial factor. Certain tariff plans on MTN, like **Pulse** and **XtraValue**, have data plans that are exclusive to their subscribers.

For instance, MTN Pulse offers a **Nightlife bundle of 500MB for just ₦75**. That’s equivalent to getting 1GB for an incredible ₦153.60! The only limitations are that it's usable only from 11 PM to 6 AM and you can't buy more than 2GB per night.

Promotional Data Plans Offer Huge Discounts

MTN runs various promotional data offers that can give you up to 100% bonus data or access to special, cheaper plans.

The most common promotional offers include:

• MTN 4G LTE Offer
• MTN Special Data Offer (MTN4ME)
• MTN Kpalasa Offer

MTN 4G LTE Offer

This offer is for customers who have recently upgraded their SIM to 4G/LTE. According to the official MTN FAQ, eligible customers get a 100% bonus on data plans (up to ₦15,000) for the first three months, and a 25% bonus from months four to six.

MTN Special Data Offer (MTN4ME)

Also known as MTN Double Data or DATA4ME, this offer gives both new and old customers on the network access to special deals, like 100% data bonuses or unique cheap data plans.

These offers are time-sensitive and eligibility is determined by MTN. They can be broken down into two main categories:

• New Customer Offer
• Old Customer Offer

New Customer Offer

To qualify for these deals, you need to be a new subscriber on the network. Most new SIMs are eligible for different offers, including the highly sought-after "₦200 for 1GB" MTN data plan. If your new SIM is eligible, enjoy it while it lasts, as it's usually for a limited time!

Old Customer Offer

Special offers are also tailored to existing customers, often based on their subscription habits. These can range from data bonuses to plans like the "₦200 for 1GB" offer.

From my personal experience, I've noticed a few things about these offers:

• They are time-sensitive and disappear if you don't grab them.
• The specific offer you get can depend on the types of data plans you usually buy.
• They may become unavailable over time as you use them but can reappear if your subscription habits change.

MTN Kpalasa Offer

This is another promotion aimed at users upgrading from an old non-4G phone ("Kpalasa") to a new 4G device. According to the MTN website, eligible customers receive a 50% data bonus for three or six months, depending on the device.

Social Bundles are Cheaper

If you spend most of your time on specific social media apps like Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok, or YouTube, social bundles are a game-changer.

Because these plans are restricted to certain apps, they are often much cheaper than standard data plans. For example, the 2GB TikTok weekly plan costs just ₦400. That’s equivalent to getting 1GB for only ₦200!

Top 10 Cheapest MTN Data Plan Codes You Should Know About

Alright, this is what you've been waiting for! Here are the top 10 cheapest MTN data plan codes you'll find.

1. MTN Special Data Offer Code

Code: *121#

We've already talked about this, but it's number one for a reason. Dialling this code reveals all the special data offers available on your line, including the famous "₦200 for 1GB" plan and other data bonuses.

This line below is eligible for the ₦200 for 1GB (30 days validity) offer!

Other Special Data Codes to Try

If *121# doesn't give you a good deal, try these specific codes:

• *312*100# or *567# for the 200 for 1GB (30 days) offer.
• *312*65*2# for the 200 for 1GB (7 days) offer.

2. The 2GB (2-Day) Plan for ₦750

Code: *312*154#
Price per GB: ₦375

This plan is available to most prepaid subscribers and is perfect for short-term data needs on a tight budget.

3. The 2.5GB (2-Day) Plan for ₦900

Code: *312*146#
Price per GB: ₦360

A slightly better value than the 2GB plan, this is another great option for all prepaid users.

4. The 3.2GB (2-Day) Plan for ₦1,000

Code: *312*180#
Price per GB: ₦312.50

If you have a little extra to spend, this plan offers a significant price drop per gigabyte.

5. The 7GB (2-Day) Plan for ₦1,800

Code: *312*183#
Price per GB: ₦257.10

At this price, this 2-day plan is cheaper per GB than most monthly plans! It's the perfect choice for downloading large files without breaking the bank.

6. The 6GB (7-Day) Plan for ₦2,500

Code: *312*143#
Price per GB: ₦416.70

A solid weekly plan for those with a minimal budget who still need a decent amount of data.

7. The 11GB (7-Day) Plan for ₦3,500

Code: *312*181#
Price per GB: ₦318.20

This is the best value-for-money weekly plan available via USSD. It’s perfect for users with an average budget looking for a cheap rate.

8. The 500MB Pulse Nightlife Plan for ₦75

Code: *406*3#
Price per GB: ₦153.60

This is, by far, the cheapest data rate on MTN. The only downsides are that you must be on the MTN Pulse tariff plan, it’s capped at 2GB per night, and it’s only usable between 11 PM and 6 AM.

9. The 165GB (30-Day) Plan for ₦35,000

Code: *312*149#
Price per GB: ₦212.10

Available to all prepaid subscribers, this plan offers the best value for money among all standard monthly plans. It's ideal for heavy data users who need an affordable, pocket-friendly option.

10. The 800GB (365-Day) Plan for ₦125,000

Code: *312*186#
Price per GB: ₦156.25

This is the largest and one of the cheapest plans available on MTN. If you want the absolute best value for long-term or heavy data usage, this is the plan to get.

Other Strategies to Get Cheaper Data in Nigeria

Now that you have the codes, let's explore some next-level strategies to lower your data costs even further.

Strategy 1: Purchase Lower Validity Data

As discussed earlier, this strategy is simple. Why pay ₦11,000 for a 36GB monthly plan to download a 34GB file when you can buy the 7GB (2-day) plan five times for just ₦9,000 to get the job done?

Strategy 2: Buy Shared/SME Data for Higher Validity at a Cheaper Rate

Sometimes, you just need a long-validity data plan at a cheaper price. This is perfect for devices that use low data over time, like PoS machines, or if you're a master at managing your data usage.

Shared/SME data is your answer. These plans aren't sold directly by MTN but by data vendors who buy data in bulk and resell it to end-users. You can check out some of the shared data plans offered by EDPlugNG below to compare prices.

Here’s a direct comparison of standard 30-day MTN data plans versus the shared data plans from EDPlugNG:

MTN Direct Plan & Price	EDPlugNG Shared Data Plan & Price	Benefit
2GB for ₦1,500	2GB for ₦1,200	Save ₦300
2.7GB for ₦2,000	3GB for ₦1,500	Get more data & save ₦500
3.5GB for ₦2,500	4GB for ₦2,200	Get more data & save ₦300
	5GB for ₦2,500	Get 1.5GB extra data for the same price
10GB for ₦4,500	10GB for ₦4,000	Save ₦500
12.5GB for ₦5,500	15GB for ₦5,500	Get 2.5GB extra data for the same price
20GB for ₦7,500	20GB for ₦7,000	Save ₦500

Strategy 3: Buy a Bigger Data Plan and Convert the Excess to Cash

Yes, you read that correctly! This is a top-tier strategy. You can actually convert your unused MTN data to cash.

Just like you can convert airtime to cash by contacting EDPlugNG on WhatsApp, the process for data is similar. You buy a larger, cheaper data bundle, use what you need, and then sell the excess by transferring it to a recipient who pays you in cash!

Strategy 4: Determine the Right Data Plan for You

This is the most fundamental strategy of all. To get the cheapest plan, you first need to know what you need.

How to Choose the Right Data Plan

To figure this out, you need to consider two things: your budget and your data usage.

Determining Your Data Usage

You can easily check your data usage in your device's settings, usually under "Connections" or "Network." You can set the period to one month to see your typical consumption.

Once you know how much data you use and how much you're willing to spend, finding the right plan becomes simple. Just compare the available MTN plans that fit your criteria and choose the cheapest one.

Strategy 5: Migrate to a Cheap Data Tariff Plan on MTN

As mentioned earlier, some tariff plans are just better for data. Migrating to **MTN Pulse** gives you access to the super-cheap Nightlife Plan (₦75 for 500MB). Plus, you earn Pulse points on every eligible data activation, which act like cashback that you can use to buy more data.

On **XtraValue**, you can buy data plans without extra add-ons, giving you more value for your money.

Strategy 6: Buy Discounted Data Plans from EDPlugNG

Why pay the full price when you can get a discount? Instead of buying data directly from your MTN line or bank, you can get up to a 3% discount on data purchases from EDPlugNG.

Here’s a quick price comparison:

Plan	MTN/Bank Price	EDPlugNG Price
7GB (2-Day) Plan	₦1,800	₦1,746
11GB (7-Day) Plan	₦3,500	₦3,395
165GB (30-Day) Plan	₦35,000	₦33,950
800GB (365-Day) Plan	₦125,000	₦121,250

Strategy 7: Check Other Networks

If you want to find even cheaper data, it might be time to look at other networks like Glo. While MTN generally has better network coverage and quality, if you're in an area with a strong Glo signal, you can save a lot of money.

Here’s how they stack up:

Plan	MTN Price	Glo Price
2.5GB (2-Day) Plan	₦900	₦500
~10GB (7-Day) Plan	₦2,500 (for 6GB)	₦2,000 (for 10GB)
165GB (30-Day) Plan	₦35,000	₦30,000

To further reduce your data expenses, these Glo data plans can be purchased from EDPlugNG at up to 5% discount!

Tips to Become Eligible for the MTN4ME Data Offer

It often seems like the MTN4ME offers are given out randomly, but you can actually influence your eligibility.

Change Your Subscription Habits

If you've stopped getting offers on your line, you can try to trigger them again by changing your subscription habits.

• Abandon the SIM and use another one for a while.
• Buy different data plans than your usual ones.
• Have someone else gift data to you.

Abandon the SIM

If you have more than one SIM, stop using your main one for a while. This period of inactivity might trigger MTN's promotional offers to entice you back.

Buy Different Data Plans

If you can't abandon the line, try buying a different type of data, like SME/Shared data. This can simulate a change in your activity and might bring the offers back.

Have Someone Else Buy Data for You

When someone else gifts data to you, it doesn't count as a direct purchase on your line. This can make your line appear "inactive" in terms of direct spending, which might trigger the offers again. If you need someone to gift data to you, you can always contact EDPlugNG on WhatsApp—and you'll get up to a 3% discount too!

Cheaper Data Plans from EDPlugNG

Conclusion

Finding cheap MTN data plans doesn't have to be a chore. By understanding how data is priced and using the right codes and strategies, you can significantly reduce your monthly data expenses. Whether it's opting for a short-validity plan for a big download, migrating to the Pulse tariff for nightlife bundles, or buying discounted data from a reseller like EDPlugNG, there are plenty of ways to save money.

Always remember to check the special offers on *121# and choose the plan that best fits your data usage and budget. Happy surfing!

What's your favourite code or strategy for getting cheap data on MTN and other networks in Nigeria? Share them in the comment below to let others know!