It was my best friend's birthday and I had promised to call her right at midnight. I waited until 12:00 AM, but when I dialed her number, I got the message "You have insufficient balance to make this call". Then, I suddenly remembered the MTN XtraTime service through which you can borrow airtime on MTN. It is literally a lifesaver when you need to make an urgent call or want to send an important message.
Later on, I called her at 12:15 AM and apologized. I explained to her my situation and we laughed together about this. But jokes apart, I realized that borrowing airtime on MTN can be the deciding factor between making or breaking an important situation. That's why I am writing this blog so that you won't face the same situation. In this blog, I'll explain in detail "how to borrow airtime on MTN", including eligibility criteria and different methods to borrow data on MTN. Let us start!
Eligibility Criteria to Borrow Airtime on MTN
Before considering MTN XtraTime service, remember that not everyone can avail this service. You need to be eligible for that and if you are following the below points, you can avail this right away!
- To qualify for this service, you must be a prepaid user. For postpaid users, this service won't work
- If you have not used MTN service for at least 3 months continuously, you cannot avail that service
- As an MTN user, you must have spent at least ₦200 in the past three months. It shows your consistency and spending pattern on network services
- Make sure that your line is registered with NIN in Nigeria. Unregistered or incomplete SIM registrations are not eligible to access this feature.
Methods to Borrow Data from MTN
If you run out of balance, you can easily avail the MTN borrowing service by using these methods
- Via USSD Code
- Using the MyMTN App
Via USSD Code to Borrow Airtime on MTN
The code to borrow airtime on MTN is *303#. After dialing it on your MTN line, follow these steps;
- Simply pick the option you want, or select option 3 if you’d like to explore more choices.
- Choose the amount you want to borrow from MTN. After confirming your option, you'll get a message that your account has been credited with the borrowed amount
Via MyMTN App
If you prefer an easier method than relying on different codes, then it would be using MyMTN App. The steps to borrow MTN using an app are easy to follow. Here are these;
- First of all, you need to download "MyMTN App" from Google Play Store or App Store
- Login to your account using MTN mobile number and you'll receive an OTP for the login.
- After this step, go to the homepage and click on "More". When you scroll down, you'll find the option of "Share & Borrow".
- Click on "Airtime". In the next step, you need to enter the amount. Your selected amount will be shown on the screen. Confirm it and then proceed.
- You will receive a confirmation message soon that your MTN account has been credited. You can use it anytime you want.
- In the above methods, you can also face issues like delay in OTP verification to login the app or menu option is not displaying after dialing the code, it can be a technical glitch. But you should not compromise at any cost. That's where Cardgoal comes in. Cardgoal is the best gift card trading app where you can sell your unused gift cards to get instant cash. An interesting thing?? You can use that money to buy airtime or data on MTN at anytime!
Things to Remember While Borrowing Data from MTN
- Whether you are using USSD code or MyMTN app to borrow airtime from MTN, a 15% service fee will be deducted. Like if you borrow ₦115, you'll get only ₦100 with ₦15 as a deduction
- You can use airtime anytime as there is no expiry data for this service
- If you are facing issues with borrowing data, you can contact customer care agents anytime. All you need is to dial 303 and you can contact the agent directly by following prompts.
- When you avail this service, this goes into another account which is different from the main airtime account known as the XtraTime account.
- If you want to increase the credit limit, it will be possible to spend more. The XtraTime service offers a maximum airtime borrowing limit of ₦10,000.
- Another thing to remember is that you cannot transfer borrowed airtime to other MTN accounts. However, you can share your data with your friends or family on an MTN account.
- If you recharge with an amount that’s smaller than what you borrowed, MTN will take it to reduce your borrowed airtime, and your account will stay minus until you finish paying it back with future recharges.
FAQ's
- What is the code to borrow airtime on MTN?
Dial *303# (code to borrow airtime on MTN) and select "Borrow Airtime," choose your preferred amount, and confirm.
2. How much can I borrow from MTN?
You can borrow up to ₦10,000 depending on your recharge and usage history.
3. What is the MTN XtraTime service charge?
A 15% fee is deducted from every borrowed amount.
4. Can I transfer borrowed airtime to another MTN user?
No, borrowed airtime cannot be shared or transferred to other MTN lines.