Need emergency airtime or data? By 2025, MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile all offer quick borrowing. Learn codes, repayment details, interest rates, and eligibility so you’re never offline when it matters most.

Gone are the days you’d be completely cut off the moment your credit or data hits zero. All four major networks in Nigeria have credit-advance systems, letting you borrow either airtime (for calls, SMS) or data bundles when you don’t have immediate funds to recharge. Typically, you repay on your next top-up, along with a small service fee. This facility is crucial for emergencies or when your bank’s network is down, enabling you to continue vital communication or online tasks.

This article details each network’s 2025 borrowing platform, including activation codes, usage restrictions, interest rates (or service charges), and tips to avoid pitfalls. By understanding how these loans work, you’ll know your best option during credit crises—and you’ll also avoid hidden fees or missed repayments.

MTN XtraTime & XtraByte

MTN’s platform for borrowing is called XtraTime (for airtime) and XtraByte (for data).

Eligibility

• Must be a Prepaid customer who has been active on MTN for at least 3 months.
• Must regularly recharge (e.g., at least ₦200 monthly), and maintain a good usage pattern.
• Must have no outstanding loan from previous borrowings.

USSD & Steps

1. *Dial 606# → Select “XtraTime” or “XtraByte.”
2. The system displays how much you’re eligible to borrow, e.g., ₦100, ₦200, or data equivalents.
3. Confirm. The borrowed amount is credited instantly.
4. A service fee (usually 10–15%) is deducted upfront. For instance, if you borrow ₦200 airtime, you might receive only ~₦180.

XtraByte (Data Borrowing)

• Usually possible after you’ve qualified for XtraTime. If your line is data-centric, you may see “Borrow 50MB, 100MB, 500MB,” etc.
• The cost includes a small commission. Next recharge auto-deducts the borrowed data value.

Repayment

• On your next recharge, MTN automatically deducts the borrowed amount plus the service fee.
• If your recharge is less than the amount owed, partial repayment occurs until the debt is cleared.

Airtel Extra Credit & Extra Data

Airtel’s equivalent includes “Extra Credit” for airtime and “Extra Data” for data.

Eligibility Criteria

• You must have had an active Airtel Prepaid line for at least 2 months, with consistent recharges.
• Good usage history helps you qualify for bigger amounts.
• No outstanding debt from a previous borrowing cycle.

Activation Code

• *Dial 500# or *141#, then pick “Borrow services.”
• Check the maximum you can borrow. For airtime, options might be ₦100, ₦200, ₦500, etc. For data, it could be 100MB, 200MB, 1GB, etc., depending on your profile.

Charges & Validity

• A ~15% service fee is deducted from the borrowed amount. So if you borrow ₦500, you receive ₦425.
• Borrowed airtime can be used for calls or data if you choose. But if you specifically borrow data, you get a data bundle valid for a certain period (often a few days).

Repayment

• Automatic deduction on your next recharge—partial or total. Airtel notifies you once the debt is fully cleared.

Glo Borrow Me Credit & Borrow Me Data

Glo’s approach might be the cheapest in terms of service fees, but coverage and usage patterns affect eligibility.

Eligibility

• Active Glo line for at least 3 months, frequent recharges.
• Must have a “positive usage history,” meaning you generally use voice or data regularly.
• Zero outstanding debt from prior borrowings.

Codes

• *Dial 321# → The menu shows “Borrow Airtime” or “Borrow Data.”
• Alternatively, *777# might redirect you to a “Borrow” section in some lines.

Borrowing Options

• Airtime: Ranges from ₦50 to ₦2,000, depending on your usage profile.
• Data: Often starts at 30MB or 50MB up to 1GB or more for high-usage lines.

Service Charge & Repayment

• Service charge can be around 10–15%. Glo may deduct it upfront.
• Repayment is automatic on your next recharge. If partial, it continues until the full debt is covered.

9mobile Morecredit & Moredata

9mobile’s borrowing service is sometimes called “Morecredit” for airtime and “Moredata” for data.

Qualifications

• Must be a 9mobile Prepaid user for a minimum active period (often 3 months).
• Have consistent recharges or data usage over time.
• No pending debts from previous loans.

Activation

• *Dial 665# or *200# → select “Borrow.”
• The system calculates your maximum borrowable amount based on your monthly recharge average.

Borrowed Airtime vs. Data

• You can pick a specific data bundle (like 500MB for ₦300 borrowed) or raw airtime.
• A certain interest or service fee is applied. For data, you might get a short validity (e.g., 3 days).

Repayment Mechanism

• Next recharge triggers auto-deduction. If you don’t recharge enough, partial debt remains.

Comparing Borrowing Options

Observations:

• Service fees are roughly similar across networks (10–15%).
• 9mobile and MTN might allow higher borrow amounts if you’re a big spender.
• Glo often has a lower maximum but also a lower threshold for eligibility.

Fees & Interest Rates: The Fine Print

Though these services are typically called “fees” not “interest,” effectively it’s a short-term loan with about 10–15% cost. If you borrow ₦1,000 and get only ₦900 actual credit, you’ve effectively paid 10% upfront.

Is that steep? Possibly, but the convenience of immediate airtime or data often outweighs the cost in emergencies. Just know that frequent borrowing can chip away at your recharges if you consistently pay that extra 10–15% service fee.

Best Practices for Borrowing

1. Borrow Only What You Need: If you borrow too much, the fee is higher, and you might not recoup it if you top up soon.
2. Repay Quickly: The moment you recharge, the network deducts the debt. If you rely on large monthly recharges, you might lose a chunk to debt. Consider partial recharges if you want to manage how quickly the loan is repaid.
3. Monitor Usage: Borrowed data might have short validity—don’t let it expire unused.
4. Check Eligibility Before You’re Desperate: Dial the code to see your limit so you’re prepared.

Common Issues & Solutions

• “Not Eligible”: You may have insufficient recharge history, or an unpaid previous loan. Increase your monthly top-ups or clear old debts.
• “Network Error”: Wait or try again if the USSD server is busy.
• Partial Deductions: If you recharge ₦500 but owe ₦700, only ₦500 is taken now, and your debt remains ₦200. Next top-up will take the rest.

Real-Life Example

Case: Funke

• She’s on MTN, needs urgent airtime to call a client but has just ₦2 on her balance.
• She dials *606#, sees she can borrow up to ₦300. She chooses ₦200.
• She immediately receives ₦180 (since 10% is deducted). Makes her call.
• Next day, she recharges ₦1,000. MTN automatically deducts ₦200 for the borrowed sum. She’s left with ₦800 for fresh usage.

The convenience overcame the ~₦20 fee cost. If she only needed to borrow once a month for emergencies, that’s probably acceptable.

Borrowing Data Specifically

Sometimes you only need data, not airtime. That’s why each network also offers data borrowing:

• MTN XtraByte: e.g., 100MB for ₦100 borrowed. 3-day validity.
• Airtel Extra Data: e.g., 200MB for ~₦200 with a small fee, valid 3–7 days.
• Glo Borrow Me Data: Might give 350MB for ₦200.
• 9mobile Moredata: 500MB for ~₦300.

Beware of short validity, typically between 1–7 days. If you don’t use it up, it’s wasted, and you still owe the full amount + fee.

Loan Caps & Upgrades

Networks recalculate your borrow limit periodically. If you consistently recharge large amounts (e.g., ₦5,000 monthly) and repay on time, your limit could climb to ₦2,000 or ₦5,000 airtime. If you skip recharges or default, your limit might drop or you might be ineligible.

Potential Pitfalls

• Excessive Borrowing: If you repeatedly borrow, you might perpetually lose 10–15% of your recharges to fees. Over a year, that’s a significant sum.
• Forgetting You Borrowed: You recharge but see half your credit vanish. Keep track of how much you owe.
• Short Data Validity: Borrowed data can expire quickly—waste of resources if you can’t use it in time.

Future of Airtime/Data Loans

By 2025, we see some advanced forms of micro-lending beyond just your operator. Fintech apps partner with networks, possibly offering more flexible repayment schedules or bundling the fee if you repay within 24 hours. However, the core model remains the same: your usage and recharge frequency determine your borrowing power, and you repay on your next top-up.

Conclusion

Being able to borrow airtime or data in emergencies is a lifesaver for many Nigerians in 2025. MTN’s XtraTime/XtraByte, Airtel’s Extra Credit/Data, Glo’s Borrow Me Credit/Data, and 9mobile’s Morecredit/Moredata all function similarly—check eligibility, dial a code, get your loan minus a fee, repay automatically upon your next recharge.

Use these services strategically:

1. Confirm your eligibility and borrow limit before you’re out of credit.
2. Borrow modestly—only as much as you truly need.
3. Repay as soon as possible to avoid confusion or partial deductions.
4. Stay mindful of short data validity periods.

With that approach, you’ll never be caught off-guard by zero airtime/data in a critical moment, and you’ll avoid racking up repetitive fees from over-borrowing. The convenience is worth the cost if used wisely.