Data is expensive in Nigeria right now. After the NCC approved a 50% tariff hike in early 2025, every network adjusted its prices, and a lot of what you’ll find online is stale.
But cheap plans still exist — you just have to know where to look. We went through the current offerings on MTN, Glo, Airtel, and T2 (the network formerly known as 9mobile) to find the five plans that give you the most gigabytes per Naira today.
These are not the cheapest by sticker price. They’re the cheapest by value — meaning we looked at data volume, validity period, and real-world usability before ranking anything.
Quick Summary: The 5 Cheapest Data Plans in Nigeria
| Rank | Network | Plan | Price | Validity | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | T2 (formerly 9mobile) | 7GB + 100MB Social | ₦1,500 | 7 days | Best weekly value overall |
| #2 | Glo | 10.5GB (8.5GB + 2GB Night) | ₦3,000 | 30 days | Best monthly volume |
| #3 | Airtel | 5GB + 2GB YouTube Night + 200MB Social | ₦1,500 | 7 days | Best for video streaming |
| #4 | Glo | 3.7GB (1.7GB + 2GB Night) | ₦1,000 | 7 days | Cheapest weekly option |
| #5 | MTN | 3.5GB | ₦1,500 | 7 days | Best network reliability |
Note: All prices reflect current 2026 rates post-NCC tariff adjustment. Dial
*312#on any network to subscribe or compare available plans directly.
#1 — T2 (Formerly 9mobile): 7GB for ₦1,500/Week
This is the best deal on the market right now, and most people are sleeping on it.
T2 recently rebranded from 9mobile after being acquired by Lighthouse Telecoms. The name change gets a lot of attention, but the bigger news is what came with it: a national roaming agreement with MTN. That means if T2’s signal drops where you are, your phone falls back onto MTN’s network automatically. The old 9mobile coverage complaint no longer holds.
Plan details:
- Data: 7GB anytime + 100MB Social
- Price: ₦1,500
- Validity: 7 days
- Subscription code:
*312#
At ₦214 per GB, nothing else at the weekly level comes close. The social bundle on top is a free bonus. If you’ve avoided 9mobile in the past because of patchy coverage, T2 with MTN roaming is worth a fresh look.
#2 — Glo: 10.5GB for ₦3,000/Month
Glo has always offered the most raw data per Naira on monthly plans, and that hasn’t changed.
The ₦3,000 plan gives you 10.5GB total — broken into 8.5GB anytime data and 2GB night bonus (usable midnight to 5 AM). The split can catch people off guard. If you burn through the 8.5GB before month-end, you’re left with night-only data, which isn’t useful during the day.
Plan details:
- Data: 10.5GB (8.5GB anytime + 2GB night)
- Price: ₦3,000
- Validity: 30 days
- Subscription code:
*312#
At ₦286 per GB on the anytime portion alone, this is still a solid deal. Just go in knowing the split. If you’re a night owl or you download heavy files after midnight, the night bonus turns this into one of the best data value propositions in Nigeria.
One tip: buy a ₦500 Glo plan first and test speeds where you live. Glo’s 4G is inconsistent across cities — strong in some areas, poor in others.
#3 — Airtel: 5GB + 2GB YouTube Night for ₦1,500/Week
Airtel’s weekly plan is the one to get if you stream video regularly.
The 5GB main allocation is decent for seven days of moderate use. But the 7GB YouTube Night bonus (usable midnight to 5 AM) is where the real value sits for anyone who downloads movies, watches YouTube, or catches up on series after hours.
Plan details:
- Data: 5GB anytime + 2GB YouTube Night + 200MB Social
- Price: ₦1,500
- Validity: 7 days
- Subscription code:
*312#
At ₦300 per GB on the main allocation, it’s slightly pricier than T2 — but Airtel’s network stability in major Nigerian cities like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt makes up for it. The YouTube night bonus is platform-specific, so it doesn’t work for Netflix or general browsing.
#4 — Glo: 3.7GB for ₦1,000/Week
If ₦1,500 is tight and you need something that lasts a week, Glo’s ₦1,000 plan is the move.
You get 1.7GB of anytime data and 2GB of night data. The same caveat applies here as with the monthly plan: pay attention to what you’re buying. The 1.7GB anytime portion is what you can use during the day. The 2GB night portion is only active from midnight to 5 AM.
Plan details:
- Data: 3.7GB (1.7GB anytime + 2GB night)
- Price: ₦1,000
- Validity: 7 days
- Subscription code:
*312#
For a student, casual browser, or someone who mainly uses WhatsApp and email during the day, this works. For a remote worker who streams calls or uploads large files, 1.7GB of daytime data will run out fast.
#5 — MTN: 3.5GB for ₦1,500/Week
MTN costs more per GB than the alternatives. That’s the honest truth. But if you need the most reliable mobile data connection in Nigeria — especially if you travel frequently or live outside a major city — MTN is still the safest bet.
Plan details:
- Data: 3.5GB
- Price: ₦1,500
- Validity: 7 days
- Subscription code: Text
"176"to312or dial*312#
At ₦429 per GB, you’re paying for network quality. MTN has the widest 4G coverage in Nigeria, and it’s consistently faster in cities like Onitsha, Benin, Kano, and Ibadan where other networks can be unpredictable. Worth it if uptime matters more than raw gigabytes.
How to Choose the Right Plan
Before you subscribe to anything, run these three checks:
1. Check your actual data use. Most people overestimate how much they need. If you mostly browse social media and watch occasional YouTube, 3–5GB per week is enough. Only remote workers and streamers regularly push past 10GB per month.
2. Understand night data. Glo and Airtel split their bundles between daytime and night allocations. Night data expires with the main plan and can only be used between midnight and 5 AM. Don’t buy a plan expecting 10GB if only 5GB of that is available during working hours.
3. Test the network in your area first. Buy a small plan — ₦200 or ₦350 — on a network you haven’t used before and check the actual speed at your home, office, and between them. Coverage maps lie. Real-world testing doesn’t.
Bottom Line
The cheapest data plan in Nigeria right now depends entirely on what you’re using it for.
For weekly use, T2’s 7GB for ₦1,500 is the best value. For monthly use, Glo’s 10.5GB for ₦3,000 wins on volume. For reliable coverage everywhere you go, MTN — even though it costs more per GB — is still the network most people can count on.
Whatever you choose, dial *312# to check the latest plans directly on your network. Prices and bonuses change without announcement, and what’s current today may shift next month.
Prices and plan details are based on current 2026 network rates post-NCC tariff adjustment. Always verify directly with your network before subscribing.
