For many Nigerians, understanding how to borrow airtime or data from Airtel Nigeria is something that is of paramount importance. The reason for this is very simple; sometimes they simply run out of airtime or data and desperately need to make use of the internet or call someone with no hope in sight. In this case, the only other option is to borrow and then pay back later.
There are times when people get stuck in situations or places where access to airtime credit is really hard. At other times, they simply do not have enough money to get the kind of airtime or data that they need to do what they want to do at the time they want to. This is why Airtel Nigeria has made provisions to borrow from them and then pay back when you are ready. Your only duty now is to know how to go about borrowing.
What Is The Code For Borrowing Airtime From Airtel Nigeria?
Airtel Nigeria has made the process of borrowing airtime or data very simple and it is just a few steps away from the customer’s grasp. The process is so simple that all you need to do is make use of a code to get what you seek. That code is *500#
The Steps To Borrow Airtime From Airtel Nigeria
Let us walk you through the process of borrowing airtime from Airtel Nigeria.
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Dial *500#
First, you have to pick up your phone and dial the code *500# and then wait for the options to load up on your screen.
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Select ‘Borrow Credit’
After dialing the code, a list of different options will appear on your screen. Simply select ‘Borrow Credit’ from the list.
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Select Amount
After you have selected ‘Borrow Credit’, another list will appear on your screen, this time showing you a list of airtime denominations you can borrow. Select the one most suitable for you.
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Receive Credit
Once you select the denomination you prefer, your airtime will be credited to your phone immediately.
How To Qualify To Borrow Airtime From Airtel Nigeria
Realize that not everyone who uses Airtel Nigeria automatically qualifies to borrow credit from the telecom company. You have to meet some criteria to qualify. Below are some of the requirements that you need to meet
- You must be a Prepaid Customer on Airtel Nigeria to qualify
- You must have registered your SIM card to qualify to borrow credit
- You must have paid up any previous loan that you have taken with Airtel Nigeria
- You must be a loyal customer who has been using the Airtel network for at least 2 months
- You must be a consistent subscriber who uses an average of N200 monthly.
What Are The Service Charges Involved?
You must realize that borrowing credit from Airtel Nigeria is not free of charge. There are charges that you have to pay to use the service. The charges range from 15% to 20%.
If you are borrowing N25 from Airtel, you will be charged 20% as a service fee. However, if you are borrowing any other amount, you will be charged 15%. Also, take note that the service charges apply at the point of borrowing.
How Much Can I Borrow From Airtel?
The amount of airtime that customers can borrow from Airtel Nigeria varies from person to person and it depends on some factors including recharge frequency. So, if two customers are about to borrow credit from Airtel, customer A will have more airtime available to him to borrow than Customer B if Customer A has been buying more airtime in the past.
Airtel checks your history to see how much money you have been spending on Airtime and how frequently you have been buying airtime in the space of a month. This is what will be used to decide how much you can borrow.
When Am I Supposed To Pay Back The Airtime Loan?
Customers who borrow airtime from Airtel Nigeria are expected to pay back the loan on their next recharge. This means that if you borrow airtime from the network, the network will recover the loan the next time you recharge your number with airtime.
Will I Be Punished If I Don’t Pay Back?
Customers who fail to pay back will not be able to access Airtel Extra Credit for more borrowing until they have fully paid back. Also, apparently, they will not able to make calls once their extra credit finishes until they buy credit to fully repay the loan taken.
The Steps To Take To Borrow Data From Airtel Nigeria
It is not just airtime that you can borrow from Airtel Nigeria; you can also borrow data as well. All you have to do is follow the following steps.
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Dial *500#
Pick your phone and make sure it has an Airtel line in it. Then dial *500#
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Select ‘Borrow Data’
After dialing the code, a list of options will appear on your phone screen. All you need to do here is to select ‘Borrow Data’ from the list of options.
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Chose Your Preferred Data Bundle
After you have selected ‘Borrow Data’, another list will appear on your phone, this time showing different data bundles that you can borrow. Chose the one you prefer
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Receive Data
After you have selected the data bundle that you prefer, it will be sent to your phone immediately.
How To Qualify To Borrow Airtime From Airtel Nigeria
Not every Airtel network user is automatically qualified to borrow data. You have to meet the following requirements first.
- You must be a prepaid user of the Airtel network
- You must have regietsred you SIM
- You must have been using the SIM card for at least 2 months
How Much Data Can I Borrow From Airtel?
Just like it is with borrowing airtime, the volume of data customers can borrow from Airtel Nigeria varies from person to person and it depends on monthly recharge frequency and your average spending on the line. This means that the more airtime you recharge and data you buy, the higher the bundle bundles that will be available for you to borrow in the future.
When Am I Supposed To Pay Back The Data Loan?
As an Airtel Nigeria customer, you are expected to pay back the data loan on your next recharge. This means that if you borrow data from Airtel, the network will recover the loan the next time you recharge your number.
How To Check If You Are Eligible To Borrow Airtel Airtime Or Data
You can check if you are eligible to borrow airtime or data on the Airtel Nigeria network. All you need to do is to dial *500# and a list of options will load up on your screen. When this happens, simply select “Eligibility and Help” and your eligibility status will be revealed including how much you can borrow at that time.
