Check your remaining MTN data by USSD, SMS or the app, including gifted data, and why the figure sometimes looks off.
For a standard MTN Nigeria data bundle, dial *323*4# from the MTN line you want to check. MTN lists this as the direct code for checking your main data bundle and applicable bonus data. If you only need a quick balance check, this is the best place to start.
Use *323*4# when you want the fastest result without internet, or text 2 to 323 when you want the response saved in your messages. The myMTN app is more useful when you have several active bundles and need a clearer breakdown. Zigi is another option if you prefer guided self-service.
Your MTN line can have a main bundle, bonus data and other allocations active at the same time. These balances may have different expiry dates or usage conditions, so they are shown separately rather than as one unrestricted total. Check the label and validity of each balance instead of looking only at the largest number.
A USSD request can occasionally time out because of a temporary network issue. Try again after a short interval, then switch to SMS by sending 2 to 323 if the problem continues. If you have internet access, you can also check the same line through the myMTN app or Zigi.
If you want to check your MTN data balance in Nigeria, the fastest option is to dial *323*4# from your MTN line. MTN currently lists this code for checking both your main data bundle and any applicable bonus data.
This guide explains each method properly, what the different figures in your balance mean, why some websites show different MTN codes, and what to do when your balance does not look right.
The most direct code MTN currently gives for checking a standard data bundle balance is:
*323*4#
Dial it from the MTN SIM whose balance you want to check and press the call button. The network should return details about your remaining data. MTN specifically says the code can be used to check your main data bundle and bonus data.
The reason this question has become more confusing than it should be is that older MTN codes still appear in search results, forum posts and outdated articles. Nigeria also moved to a harmonised shortcode system, which means some numbers now have broader meanings across all mobile networks.
The Nigerian Communications Commission assigns 323 to Data Plan Balance, 312 to Data Plan, and 310 to Check Balance. The purpose of the harmonisation was to make common services easier to remember across networks instead of requiring customers to memorise completely different numbers for MTN, Airtel, Glo and other operators.
That distinction is useful because it explains why you may still encounter 312 in MTN documentation. 312 is primarily associated with data-plan management, while 323 is specifically associated with data-plan balances.
For the normal question “How do I check how much MTN data I have left?”, the current MTN Data Bundles page gives *323*4#, text 2 to 323, *310#, myMTN and Zigi as the relevant options.
For most MTN customers, USSD is the simplest way to check a data balance because it does not depend on an internet connection.
Open the dialler on your phone and enter:
*323*4#
Press the call button and wait for the network response. In most cases, your remaining data information should appear within a few seconds.
This method is especially useful when you are checking your balance because your internet connection has suddenly slowed down or stopped working. If your data is already exhausted, opening an app or website may not be practical. A USSD request communicates directly through the mobile network and can still work when you have no usable data left.
The result can contain more than one figure. That is not necessarily an error. MTN allows customers to have multiple data bundles active at the same time, and separate bundles may have different expiry dates or conditions. MTN also uses the same balance channel to show both main data and qualifying bonus balances.
For example, you might have a monthly bundle together with promotional data or a separate service-specific allowance. The USSD result can therefore look more complicated than a simple “2GB remaining” message.
The important thing is to look at the labels and expiry dates, not just the largest number on the screen.
If the USSD request times out or returns an error, try again after a short interval. Temporary network congestion can interrupt a USSD session even when there is nothing wrong with your account.
If repeated attempts fail, switch methods rather than assuming your data balance has disappeared. Text 2 to 323 or, if you have an internet connection, open the myMTN app.
Using another official balance channel is usually more useful than repeatedly entering the same code.
MTN also allows you to check your standard data balance by SMS.
Open your Messages app, type the number:
2
and send it to:
323
MTN should respond with information about your current data bundle. The company lists this SMS method alongside *323*4# on its official Data Bundles help page.
The main advantage of SMS is that the result stays in your inbox. With USSD, the balance message may disappear as soon as you close the pop-up. An SMS gives you something you can reopen later if you want to compare the balance with another check or confirm an expiry date.
SMS is also useful when USSD is temporarily unreliable. Because both methods work without a mobile-data connection, they are the two best options when you suspect that your bundle has already run out.
You may still find older articles telling you to send balance requests to 312. Some specialised MTN products use their own instructions, but for MTN’s current standard Data Bundles service, the official general instruction is text 2 to 323.
USSD is better when you want one quick answer. The myMTN NG app becomes more useful when your account is more complicated.
If you have several bundles, bonuses or other allocations active at the same time, a short USSD response can be difficult to interpret. The app gives you a more visual account view and makes it easier to inspect the different balances attached to your number.
The app is particularly useful when the number shown by USSD seems lower than you expected. Instead of only asking “How much data do I have left?”, you can look at the wider account information and try to understand which bundle is being used.
That matters because an MTN line can contain several active allocations at once. A customer may have a normal bundle together with bonus data or a shorter-validity plan purchased later. Looking at those balances separately can explain why one figure is falling while another remains untouched.
Zigi is MTN Nigeria’s digital assistant and another official way to access balance information.
Instead of remembering a particular code, you can use Zigi and request your account information through the guided interface. MTN includes Zigi among the supported channels for checking a standard data bundle balance.
Zigi is most useful when you already use MTN’s digital services or when your question is slightly more complicated than “How many gigabytes do I have left?” A guided assistant can help you move through account options without having to remember several USSD menu sequences.
For a simple check, however, Zigi is not necessarily faster than USSD. If you just want a number immediately, *323*4# requires fewer steps.
A good way to think about it is that USSD is the fastest checking tool, while Zigi is a broader self-service tool.
Checking the balance on an MTN MiFi or broadband router is slightly different because the SIM card is inside the device rather than the phone in your hand.
MTN recommends using its self-service portal to view MiFi airtime and data balances. Once you access the account, the balances are shown on the homepage.
MTN also lists the device interface and myMTN as balance-management options. Its Broadband Router guide gives a more specific USSD route for linked devices: *312*500*4# can be used to check a broadband device balance after the device has been linked appropriately.
This is one of the few cases where a 312-based sequence genuinely belongs in a balance guide, because it is attached to MTN’s broadband management system rather than the standard mobile data-balance flow.
If you are using a normal MTN SIM in your phone, you do not need to use the broadband code.
You can check MTN bonus data, gifted data and YouTube Night/Day data using the same balance methods as your regular bundle.
Dial *323*4#, text 2 to 323, or check through myMTN or Zigi.
MTN uses these channels to show the different data allocations active on your line, so your balance may appear as separate entries rather than one combined total.
The main thing to check is the label and expiry date for each allocation, because bonus, gifted and YouTube data can have different validity or usage conditions from your normal bundle.
A balance that looks wrong does not always mean MTN has deducted your data incorrectly.
Sometimes the issue is simply that you are looking at several balances, checking during an active data session or comparing information from different account views. Before contacting support, work through the most common causes.
If you dial *323*4# and nothing useful appears, try once more after a short interval. If the problem continues, use SMS instead by sending 2 to 323.
The existence of several official channels is useful because a temporary problem with one method does not prevent you from checking the account another way.
If several bundles are active, you may be watching one balance while another is actually being consumed.
For example, you could still have a large monthly balance visible even though a shorter-term allocation is currently being used.
Check the labels, validity periods and individual balances carefully before assuming the result is incorrect.
Your phone can continue consuming data while you check your account.
Streaming video, app updates, cloud backups, social media and background processes can all continue transferring data during an active session.
If you want to compare two balance checks accurately, stop the heavy data activity first, wait briefly and then check again.
If the myMTN app and your USSD result do not look identical, make sure both are showing the same type of balance.
One interface may present several allocations separately while another may summarise them differently.
Refresh the app, run a fresh *323*4# request and compare the named bundles rather than only comparing the biggest number on each screen.
Promotional data can appear in your balance while still being subject to specific usage rules.
If you see plenty of bonus data but your normal balance is still falling, check what that bonus is actually valid for.
The existence of the bonus does not necessarily mean every type of internet traffic will use it first.
This is probably the biggest source of confusion around this topic.
Search for an MTN balance code and you may find *323*4#, *323#, *312*4#, *310# or older codes mentioned on different websites.
Not all of those references are necessarily fabricated. The problem is that they may refer to different periods, different menus or different MTN products.
The NCC harmonised shortcode system gives each common telecom function a general category:
MTN then provides more specific routes within its own services.
For a normal consumer data bundle, MTN’s current general Data Bundles support page gives *323*4#, text 2 to 323, *310#, myMTN and Zigi.
Some specialised products can use different sequences. That is why blindly copying a code from an article about another MTN product can cause confusion.
The safest approach is simple: if your goal is specifically to check a normal MTN Nigeria data bundle, follow the instructions on MTN’s standard Data Bundles page rather than a product-specific code copied from somewhere else.
If your balance check shows that you are running low, you can top up your MTN data directly with Cardgoal instead of waiting until your bundle is completely exhausted. Cardgoal supports airtime and data top-ups, so you can choose MTN, enter the number you want to recharge and select an available data plan in one place.
Already have an unused gift card? You can also trade supported gift cards on Cardgoal and use your Cardgoal balance towards airtime or data.
How to Buy MTN Data with Cardgoal →
If you have a WhatsApp-specific or social bundle, check your MTN balance through *323*4# or myMTN and look for a separate social-data allocation. These bundles may not be combined with your main browsing data. If the balance does not appear clearly, the app is usually easier to interpret than a short USSD response.
Having data remaining does not always mean the connection itself is working properly. The issue could be network coverage, incorrect device settings, a restricted bundle, or a temporary service problem. Check which balance is available and whether it can be used for normal browsing before assuming the balance itself is wrong.
“Smart Data” is often a reseller or vending-platform label rather than a standard MTN consumer bundle name. Once the data has been credited to your MTN number, check the line using *323*4#, *310# or myMTN. If the vendor says the transaction succeeded but MTN does not show the expected allocation, keep the transaction reference and contact the seller.
Your balance can fall quickly if apps are streaming, updating, syncing or using data in the background. Another possibility is that a shorter-validity bundle is being consumed before a larger balance you are watching. Compare your active bundles and recent usage in myMTN if the reduction seems unusually fast.
Airtime balance is your monetary credit, while data balance is the amount of internet data remaining on your active bundle. Airtime is usually shown in Naira, whereas data is measured in MB or GB. Under Nigeria’s harmonised shortcode system, 310 is associated with general balance checks and 323 with data-plan balance.
Yes, if you move your MTN SIM into another phone, because the balance belongs to the line rather than the handset. You can then dial *323*4# normally. You cannot, however, use your own SIM to remotely check another person’s MTN line just by knowing their phone number.
Not always. Standard consumer data bundles use the normal MTN balance channels, but postpaid and broadband products can have different menu sequences or self-service tools. This is why different valid MTN codes can appear online. Always make sure the code you are using matches your specific MTN product.
Use the same standard MTN balance channels, such as *323*4# or myMTN. Always On plans can spread the total allowance across the validity period, so the headline balance may not tell the whole story. If the plan still shows data but usage seems restricted, check the plan’s daily allocation rules as well.
No. USSD and SMS balance checks do not require an active mobile-data connection, which is useful when your bundle may already be exhausted. You can still dial *323*4# to see what remains. Online methods such as myMTN require internet access, but they can work over Wi-Fi.
Treat the reseller’s order status and MTN’s actual network balance as separate things. A “successful” transaction on a vendor platform does not necessarily mean the expected allocation is visible on your SIM yet. Check the line with *323*4#, *310# or myMTN, and keep the vendor transaction reference if the two do not match.
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