MTN vs Airtel Data: 30-Day 3GB for ₦1,200 vs ₦1,980, Who Gives More?

Pick MTN if you want a small data plan that lasts the whole month. Pick Airtel for a heavy weekend, or when you need a big bundle that runs for a month. That's MTN vs Airtel data in two lines.

One price gap settles it for most people. On AidaPay, MTN's 3GB monthly plan costs ₦1,200. You get ₦12 back as cashback. Airtel charges ₦1,980 for the same size and validity, with ₦15 back. Prices are as at 5 October 2026.

Price isn't the whole story, because a cheap bundle on a weak signal just means you pay less to watch a loading circle. Opensignal's July report named MTN the best network in Nigeria. Airtel took one award, for 5G availability.

MTN vs Airtel data plans compared, plan by plan

Cost per GB is the price divided by the gigabytes, rounded to the nearest naira. Only compare it between plans with the same validity, because a cheap one-day gigabyte does you no good if you fall asleep with half of it still sitting on your line.

So find the validity you need first. Then compare the two networks inside that group.

AidaPay prices from the live catalogue on the morning of 5 October 2026, with cashback in brackets:

Buy cheap MTN Data Transfer plans on AidaPay or pick from the Airtel data plans on AidaPay, for your own line or someone else's.

Look at the cheapest rows and you'll find a tie. MTN's big weekly AWUF plan and Airtel's two-day 3GB bundle cost almost the same for each gigabyte. Neither network runs away with raw value. The monthly rows are where they split, and that's where most people's money goes: Airtel's small monthly plans cost far more per gigabyte than MTN's, so a light user who buys once a month pays noticeably more on Airtel for the same few gigabytes.

Is MTN cheaper if you only need a little data each month?

Yes, up to 3GB. Say you keep about ₦1,000 a month for data and mostly use WhatsApp, email and some browsing. MTN's 2GB Data Transfer plan fits inside that and lasts the full month. Airtel's plan of the same size costs about half as much again. Weekly buyers see the same pattern, with MTN's weekly 1GB plan at roughly half Airtel's price.

There are two catches.

First, the cheap MTN plans are labelled "Data Transfer" and land on your line as gifted data. These are catalogue prices, not MTN's own price list. What you pay buying straight from MTN may differ. Gifted data also has its own balance code, listed in the last section, so use that one if your balance looks wrong after buying.

Size is the second catch. MTN's monthly Data Transfer plans in the catalogue stop at 5GB (₦1,850 for 30 days), and its bigger monthly bundles start at ₦4,433 for 10GB, so if you need much more than that every month you'll have to step up to those, stack plans or move to the weekly AWUF bundles, which are MTN's short promo plans: cheap per gigabyte, quick to expire.

Watch the Social Plan too. It lasts a month but only works on social media apps, so browsing and downloads still need a normal plan. The small WhatsApp-only and Facebook-only monthly plans work the same way.

When does Airtel give you more data for the money?

Airtel wins on short, heavy use. Maybe you've got a big app update to run, a course video to finish before Monday, or a whole weekend of football highlights lined up. Airtel's two-day bundles handle that at the lowest cost per gigabyte of any plan under a week in the table. The 3GB one is the cheapest way in. MTN's best short plan in the table comes close, but it still costs a little more per gigabyte.

Heavy monthly users do well on Airtel too. Its 10GB plan costs ₦3,950, against ₦4,433 for MTN's 10GB monthly plan, and you buy once instead of topping up every few days.

Small monthly plans are different. Airtel's 2GB monthly plan is one of the dearest rows in the table. Its social media bundles only work on apps like WhatsApp, Instagram and TikTok, so they won't help with browsing. Router plans sit in the same Airtel list, but those are for home routers, not the SIM in your phone.

Which is better, MTN or Airtel? Opensignal's July 2026 scores

MTN won Best Network in Opensignal's July report, plus almost every other category it measures. The report drew on tests collected between April and late June. Here's how the two compare on the scores that matter for data:

Reliability measures whether you can connect and finish basic tasks without the network dropping you. Consistent quality is roughly how often a connection holds up well enough for video and calls. Airtel's one outright win was 5G availability. That only helps if your phone supports it and you spend most of your day where Airtel's network reaches.

Remember these are national averages. A cheap plan helps nobody if your room gets one bar and every voice note takes a minute to send. Before you spend a month's budget, put both SIMs in your phone and play the same video at home and at work. Whichever one buffers less is your data SIM.

Best pick for students, weekend streamers and heavy users

Here's the short version, using the same catalogue prices:

With a dual-SIM phone, you don't have to choose at all. Keep MTN for the monthly plan. Top up Airtel when a heavy weekend comes, and switch which SIM carries mobile data with a few taps in your phone's settings.

How to buy on AidaPay and check your data balance

The app steps are the same for both networks:

1. Open the AidaPay app and fund your wallet.
2. Tap Data on the home screen.
3. Choose MTN or Airtel.
4. Pick the plan. The price and validity show on the screen.
5. Enter the phone number, yours or a family member's on that network.
6. Confirm with your PIN.

Cashback lands in your wallet after delivery. AidaPay refunds failed purchases automatically. You can also switch on Auto-renew at checkout, and the app then buys the same plan again when it expires, as long as your wallet can cover it.

To see what arrived on MTN, dial *323*4#. On Airtel, the code is *140#, as the plan notes in the app say. Our list of data balance codes for every network covers the other lines in the house.

If the balance doesn't show the new plan, check these in order:

• Dial the code from the SIM that received the data, not your other line.
• Open the receipt in Transactions and confirm the number you typed.
• If it still hasn't arrived, requery the order or raise a ticket from that receipt.

Catalogue prices change from time to time, so glance at the plan screen once more before you pay. Then test both SIMs at home this week and load the one that keeps up with you.

Frequently asked questions

Published 5 October 2026. Prices and codes change - if you spot one that has moved, tell us and we will fix it.