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Data guide · updated 25 Sep 2026

What is SME data, and can you still buy it in 2026?

SME data was the cheapest way to buy data in Nigeria. Here is what it is, what changed in 2025, and what to buy instead today.

In short · facts checked 25 Sep 2026

SME data is cheap bulk data that networks sold to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and that vendors resold per gigabyte. In 2026 MTN (since around March 2025) and Airtel no longer sell SME data to the public, while Glo still does. The cheapest alternatives are corporate gifting (CG), gifting and AWUF plans - on AidaPay today plans start from ₦90 (Glo 200MB - 14 Days on GLO), with cashback on every purchase.

What SME data means

SME stands for small and medium enterprises. Networks created bulk data plans for businesses, so a company could buy a large amount of data and share it with its staff or customers. Data vendors started buying these business plans in bulk and reselling them per gigabyte - which is why "SME data" became the name for the cheapest data in Nigeria.

To the person receiving it, SME data works like any other data bundle: it lands on the phone number, and you browse with it until it runs out or expires. The validity is part of each plan's name, for example "30 Days".

Is SME data still available in 2026?

Only on Glo. MTN stopped selling SME data to the public around March 2025, and Airtel has ended it too. Most "SME" offers you see today are really corporate gifting (CG), gifting or AWUF bundles. They work the same on your phone - compare the price and validity before you buy.

Network by network:

NetworkSME dataWhat to buy instead
MTNNo longer sold to the public - MTN ended public SME data around March 2025.MTN corporate gifting (CG) and other MTN bundles
AirtelNo longer sold.Airtel CG and AWUF plans
GloStill available.Glo data, Glo gifting and AWUF plans
T2 (formerly 9mobile)Check the plan names in the table below.T2 data plans

Many sites still advertise "MTN SME data". If a vendor offers it, the bundle is usually a different plan type under an old name - check what you are actually buying.

SME vs CG vs gifting vs AWUF

Plan typeWhat it is
SMEBulk data plans made for businesses, resold per gigabyte by vendors.
CG (corporate gifting)Data sent to a line from the network's corporate gifting platform - the main replacement for SME data on MTN and Airtel.
GiftingData gifted to a line from the network's gifting service, paid for by the sender.
AWUF"Awoof" bundles: promotional plans that give a lot of data for the price, usually with a short validity.

For you, the difference is price and validity. Compare them on the AidaPay price list - each plan shows its price, validity and the cashback you earn.

The cheapest data on AidaPay today

Live from AidaPay - the cheapest plan on each network and plan type right now:

NetworkCheapest planPriceCashback
MTN120MB Whatsapp - 1 Month₦147.75+₦1.03
AirtelAirtel 230MB - 2 Days₦198+₦1.24
GLOGlo 200MB - 14 Days₦90+₦1.42
MTN AWUFMTN 1GB Data Transfer - 7 Days₦400+₦0
Airtel AWUFAirtel 2GB - 2 Days - AWUF Data₦595+₦5

See every plan per network: MTN, Airtel, Glo, T2 (9mobile).

How to buy cheap data on AidaPay

  1. Download AidaPay and fund your wallet by bank transfer or card.
  2. Choose Data, pick the network, and enter the phone number - yours or anyone's.
  3. Pick a plan, check the price and cashback, and confirm with your PIN. The data is sent straight to that number.

Is it safe to buy cheap data?

Yes, when you buy from a vendor that delivers reliably and refunds failures. On AidaPay the data lands on the number like any other bundle, you see the price and cashback before you pay, and if a purchase fails the money goes back to your wallet automatically.

Buy cheap data in secondsLive prices, cashback on every plan, and failed purchases refunded automatically.
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How we check this guide

The AidaPay team checked the facts on this page on 25 Sep 2026 against the sources below - network, regulator and company pages first, and at least two independent sources where no official page exists. Prices come live from AidaPay. Spotted something out of date? Email [email protected] and we will correct it.

Sources: Inlomax: SME data and data gifting across networks · EDPlug: buying corporate gifting and SME data (Nov 2025) · AidaPay product team (Airtel SME ended, Glo SME sold), Sep 2026