Airtel customers can use Nigeria’s harmonised codes for routine line services and Airtel’s separate *444# route for purchases from a linked bank account. Learn which route fits each task, what to verify and how to avoid authorising the wrong purchase.
For Airtel data plans, dial *312#. For data balance, use *323#; for airtime balance, use *310#. Airtel also publishes *444# as a separate service for buying airtime or data from a bank account linked to the same phone number.
Choose the Airtel route by how you intend to pay
| You want to | Start here | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|
| See data plans | *312# |
The plan menu normally charges airtime unless the live screen says otherwise |
| Buy from a linked bank account | *444# |
This is not the ordinary voucher-recharge string |
| Check data left | *323# |
Read allowance and expiry |
| Check airtime left | *310# |
Use the Airtel SIM |
| Recharge a voucher | *311*PIN# |
Replace PIN with the voucher digits |
How Airtel *444# works
Airtel describes *444# as a service that can purchase airtime or data from a linked bank account. Start it only from the mobile number registered with the bank account you intend to use. Read the bank, amount, receiving number and authorisation prompt on the live screen. The service may not list every bank or may fail when the phone number is not recognised by the bank.
Do not confuse the bank-linked route with a normal Airtel voucher. A voucher is entered as *311*PIN#; it should not ask for an online-banking password or OTP from an unsolicited caller. If *444# produces an unexpected institution name, leave the session and contact Airtel or the bank through independently verified channels.
Buy an Airtel plan through *312#
- Open the dialler and manually select the Airtel line.
- Dial
*312#and wait for the current catalogue. - Choose a category that matches how long and how much data you need.
- Read the exact allowance, price, validity and auto-renewal status.
- Confirm once, wait for the message, then check with
*323#.
Offer labels and amounts can change. This page therefore does not freeze a long price list that may become misleading. The live menu and Airtel’s current data page are the correct places to compare today’s offers.
Other Airtel self-service codes
300- Customer care. Keep the complaint reference for a missing purchase or unresolved restriction.
*303#- Borrow services. Availability and repayment terms depend on the line.
*305#- Review or stop value-added services. Read the completion message.
*321#- Sharing services. Verify the recipient before confirming.
*996#- NIN-SIM services. An identity mismatch may require Airtel’s official service centre.
If Airtel deducts money but the service is missing
First check the relevant balance rather than immediately repeating the transaction. Save the debit alert, Airtel message, time, amount and receiving number. When the bank account funded a *444# purchase, the bank can confirm the debit while Airtel can confirm whether the line received the value; give both sides the same transaction details.
For a purchase made from airtime through *312#, check *323# and the My Airtel app. If the bundle remains absent, call 300. Never pay a social-media “agent” to release a pending bundle or share an OTP as proof of ownership.
Why a correct Airtel code may still fail
A short session can expire, a dual-SIM phone can choose the wrong line, the device can have weak voice coverage, or the requested offer can be unavailable to that account. End the old USSD window, confirm Airtel signal and retry once. A persistent SIM-registration or NIN mismatch is not solved by guessing different codes; use Airtel’s official identity process.
Official sources reviewed
- Airtel Nigeria: current data-plan routes
- Airtel Nigeria: Dial *444# service
- NCC: harmonised short codes
Reviewed 31 July 2026. Confirm the actual charge and renewal terms shown to your Airtel line before authorising.
Verification record
- Last fact-check
- July 31, 2026
- Method
- Official provider or regulator sources reviewed where available; live menus control account-specific actions.
- Reviewed by
- Nigeria USSD Codes Editorial Team
Primary official sources:
Article note
Last reviewed: July 31, 2026. This independent guide is informational and does not replace instructions from your bank, telecom provider, regulator, or service provider. Verify sensitive actions through an official channel before sending money or sharing information.
Nigeria USSD Codes Editorial Team
Nigeria USSD CodesThe Nigeria USSD Codes Editorial Team researches, reviews and maintains practical guides using official provider and regulator sources where available. Corrections are checked before publication, and sensitive actions are directed back to the responsible provider.