Unused bonus data earned through MTN's Data Referral programme cannot be rolled over, meaning every megabyte must be used before expiration. Eligible MTN users can refer inactive customers to purchase data bundles, earning 10% of the first bundle activated by the referred person, while the referee receives an additional 50% bonus on their purchase.
What is MTN Data Referral?
MTN Data Referral is a service that allows existing MTN subscribers to send invites to MTN customers who have not performed internet activities on their lines within 30 to 365 days. When the referred customer buys an eligible MTN Access data bundle, the referrer earns 10% of the bundle's value as bonus data, and the referee gets a 50% bonus on top of their purchase. This program functions like affiliate marketing for data: for example, if a friend buys a 10 GB plan, the referrer receives 1 GB free. The bonus applies only to MTN Access data bundles, not Winback or XtraValue bundles.
Requirements for MTN Data Referral
To participate, you need an active MTN prepaid or postpaid line. The person you refer must be an existing MTN subscriber who has not used internet services on their line for at least 30 days and up to 365 days. No smartphone or internet connection is required to send the referral itself; a phone capable of USSD codes or SMS is sufficient. You can refer a maximum of 10 phone numbers per day, and there is no service charge for sending referrals.
How to Refer a Friend on MTN
Method 1: Via USSD Code
Dial *312*1*[Referred Phone Number]# on your MTN line and press Call/Send. Wait for a confirmation message from MTN. Then ask your contact to purchase an eligible MTN Access bundle to trigger both bonuses.
Method 2: Via SMS
Open your messaging app, type REF [Referred Phone Number] Data and send it to 312. You will receive an SMS confirming the referral. The referred person must then buy an eligible bundle to activate the bonuses.
Method 3: Via the MyMTN App
Download or update the MyMTN App from Google Play or the App Store. Log in with your MTN phone number, tap "Refer and Earn" on the homepage, then tap "Data Referral", enter the phone number of the person you want to refer, and tap Proceed. The invite is sent instantly.
Rewards Per Referral
The referrer receives 10% of the first data bundle purchased by each referred customer. The referee receives an additional 50% bonus on the bundle they buy. The referrer's bonus applies only to the first bundle purchased by each referee, not subsequent purchases. With a daily limit of 10 referrals, the theoretical maximum daily bonus is 10 times 10% of each friend's bundle value.
Validity of the Data Referral Bonus
The 10% and 50% bonuses share the same validity as the main bundle activated by the referred customer. For instance, if the referee buys a 30-day bundle, the bonus is valid for 30 days. Unused bonus data cannot roll over, but unused main data can roll over if you buy another bundle before the current one expires or within the allowed grace period. If you have a Data Referral bonus alongside other active data bundles, the bundle with the least validity is depleted first.
How to Check Your Data Referral Bonus Balance
You can check your bonus balance via USSD by dialing *323*4# on your MTN line. Alternatively, use the MyMTN App: log in and navigate to the Data/Usage section, where bonus data appears separately from your main bundle. You can also send an SMS with the text 2B to 131 to receive your bonus balance within seconds.
Troubleshooting Common Errors
"This number is not eligible for Data Referral" — You can only refer customers who have not activated data in the last 30 days. Try a different number.
"You have exceeded the daily referral limit" — MTN limits referrals to 10 numbers per day. Wait until the next day to send more invites.
Bonus not credited after contact buys data — Confirm that the contact purchased an eligible MTN Access bundle, not a Winback or XtraValue plan. The bonus is not applicable to those bundles.
USSD code not responding — Switch to the SMS method (send REF [number] Data to 312) or use the MyMTN App.
Official Contact Information
For more details, visit the MTN Data Referral page at mtn.ng/data/data-referral or the MTN Help page at mtn.ng/helppersonal/data-referral. The USSD referral code is *312*1*[Number]#. For SMS, send REF [Number] Data to 312. To check data balance, dial *323*4# or *323#. For bonus balance via SMS, text 2B to 131. MTN Customer Care can be reached by dialing 180 (free from MTN lines).
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I refer a friend on MTN? You can refer via USSD by dialing *312*1*[Referred Phone Number]#, via SMS by sending REF [Referred Phone Number] Data to 312, or via the MyMTN app's "Refer and Earn" section.
What rewards does a referrer get? You earn 10% of the first data bundle purchased by each referred customer, while they get an additional 50% bonus on their bundle.
Is there an MTN data referral code? No personal referral code exists. The recipient's phone number serves as the identifier when you dial *312*1*[Number]#.
What is the validity of the Data Referral bonus? The bonus validity matches the main bundle activated by the referred customer. A weekly plan gives 7 days; a monthly plan gives 30 days.
Can I roll over unused bonus data? No, unused bonus data cannot roll over. However, unused main data can roll over if you buy another bundle before expiration or within the grace period.
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. All actions taken based on this information are at your own risk.
