From January 2021 till now, a span of a little over 4 months, I have used the best mobile data plans on three out of the four mobile networks in the country – Airtel, Glo, and MTN. The only network whose data plan I have not used this year is 9mobile.
What are my criteria for determining the best mobile data plans? Volume of data is one. Price is another. Lastly, quality of service also comes in to play. After all, it does not matter how voluminous the data bundle is, and how affordable it is, if you cannot do anything with it.
Here are the contenders for the best mobile data plan in Nigeria in 2021.
Airtel 6GB weekly plan
Airtel offers its subscribers a weekly data plan that includes 6GB of data for ₦1,500. It is a robust plan that translates to 24GB of data for ₦6,000 a month if you renew weekly strictly.
Glo 7GB weekly plan
Similar to what obtains with Airtel, Glo’s plan offers 7GB of data for ₦1,500 weekly as well. This translates to 28GB data for ₦6,000 per month.
It is just a little more generous than what Airtel offers.
MTN 12GB double data bundle
MTN has a 6GB weekly plan as well, but that isn’t their best mobile data plan. The Y’hello network has a few special data offers in which you get double the data you purchase. One of them is the 12GB double data plan.
As the name suggests, you buy 12GB and get double the value. That’s 24GB. Not bad; right? The question is, At what cost? Just ₦3,500 only. And the data is valid for 30 days.
24GB for ₦3,500 is a steal. But it doesn’t end there. MTN also gives you free 4GB for YouTube Night Streaming between the hours of 11pm and 6am).
It is quite a package, even if you do not fancy yourself being awake at night to use the free YouTube streaming data.
Having looked briefly at the three data bundles I have shortlisted, which is the very best mobile data bundle in 2021? You probably can tell already by now. Come with me.
The best mobile data plan in Nigeria in 2021
With a mouthwatering offer of 24GB data for just ₦3,500, MTN’s 12GB double data offer is the most attractive of the lot. It is also the most pocket-friendly. You get an insane amount of data for so little.
But tariff and data volume are only two of the factors. Is the MTN mobile network robust and fast enough to seal the deal?
In the earlier part of the year when I first used MTN internet this year, it was a disappointing experience. Speeds were crawly at my location. I even filed complaints with MTN customer support, but they kept putting me through a loop of template questions and instructions, none of which helped.
Eventually, I gave up and switched over to Airtel. Airtel was equally disappointing, so I switched to Glo.
Thankfully, Glo saved the day, as it provided me the best browsing experience for a few months, before going south itself.
I decided to give MTN another try, and this time, the browsing experience as better. It hasn’t been fantastic, but it has been good enough for me to work with.
On a normal day, Glo delivers faster speeds for me. I’d place MTN’s quality of service over that of Airtel. All of these are from my personal usage of these networks. Chances are that your experience will differ, depending on your location.
But as far as my experiences are concerned, and looking at the available data volumes and tariffs, MTN 12GB double data plan is my best mobile data plan in Nigeria for 2021, and I recommend that you have a look at it.