Airtel gives you two ways to send data to another Airtel line, and they behave differently. Data Gifting buys a bundle for someone and keeps its own validity. Data Me2U moves part of your existing bundle and the shared data expires with yours. Last reviewed 23 October 2026.
Update, 23 October 2026: we corrected several details against Airtel's own pages. Airtel customer care in Nigeria is 300 for prepaid and 131 for postpaid, not 111. Your data balance and expiry code is *323#, not *140#. Airtel's FAQ gives the default Me2U PIN as 1234 and the PIN path as *321# then PIN Management.
This guide is for Airtel Nigeria customers who want to send data to a friend or relative on Airtel, or buy a bundle for them. It covers both methods, the Airtel app, limits, what differs between them, and fixes for failed transfers. Airtel changes menus without notice, so follow what your screen shows.
READ ALSO: How to Check Your MTN Number in Nigeria (2026)
Me2U or Data Gifting: which one to use
| Data Me2U | Data Gifting | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Shares part of your current data bundle | Buys a bundle for someone else |
| Where the data comes from | Your data balance | Your airtime or the price of the bundle |
| Expiry | Same date as your own bundle (reported by [Technext24](https://technext24.com/explainer/how-transfer-mobile-data-mtn-airtel-glo/) and [Within Nigeria](https://www.withinnigeria.com/piece/2023/07/26/how-to-share-data-on-airtel-nigeria-and-transfer-mb-easily/)) | The gifted bundle keeps the volume and validity of the plan, per [Airtel's Data Share page](https://www.airtel.com.ng/ng/personal/data/data_services/data_share_and_gifting) (read through Airtel's mirror site, because the live page would not load for us) |
| Cost to you | The data you send | The exact price of the bundle; the recipient pays nothing |
| Best for | Quick help when you have spare data | Giving someone a proper plan, especially if their bundle has expired |
Use Me2U for a small top-up and Gifting when you want the recipient to have data that lasts beyond your own bundle.
Before you start
- You and the recipient must both be on Airtel. Transfers to MTN, Glo or 9mobile lines are not supported.
- Check your data and expiry date with *323#, the code on Airtel's FAQ. Check airtime with *310#.
- For Me2U, your line needs more data than you send.
Data Gifting: buy a bundle for someone
This is the method Airtel documents. On its Data Share and Gifting page, Airtel says you pay the exact price of the bundle and the recipient gets it at no charge (we read this through Airtel's mirror site, because the live page would not load for us).
- Dial *312# on your Airtel line.
- Select the data bundle you want to gift.
- Choose "Buy for Others".
- Enter the recipient's Airtel number.
- Confirm. The bundle keeps the volume and validity of the plan you chose.
Airtel's FAQ also lists a second route: dial *321# and choose "Gift Data Bundle". Menu numbers differ between older guides, so use the labels on screen.
Data Me2U: share from your own bundle
Airtel does not publish Data Me2U steps on its site; Nigerian guides describe the same broad route.
- Dial *312# on your Airtel line.
- Choose the Gifting and Sharing option, then "Data Me2U". Technext24 (September 2025) describes the same Gifting and Sharing then Data Me2U path; menu numbers change, so follow the labels on your screen.
- Enter the recipient's Airtel number and the amount in MB.
- Enter your PIN to confirm.
Airtel does not publish Me2U data limits. If a transfer is refused, try a smaller amount.
Your Me2U PIN
Airtel's FAQ says the default Me2U PIN is 1234. To change it, dial *321#, select PIN Management, select Change PIN, enter the current PIN (1234 if you never changed it), then enter and confirm a new one. Pick something other than 1234 or 0000. If Me2U says your PIN is wrong, reset it by the same path.
Using the Airtel app
Technext24 says the Airtel app has a Data Sharing section with Me2U and Data Gifting options. Our older steps said to look for "Data", "Share/Gift" or "Data Gifting".
- Install the app from Google Play or the Apple App Store. Check that the publisher is Airtel.
- Sign in with your Airtel number and the OTP sent by SMS.
- Open the data sharing or gifting section and choose Me2U or Gifting.
- Enter the recipient's number and the amount or plan, then confirm.
If the app hangs, close it and check your balance with *323# before trying again, so you do not send twice.
Airtel data sharing limits and rules
| Rule | Status |
|---|---|
| Airtel to Airtel only | Supported by Technext24 and Within Nigeria; Airtel's pages do not mention other networks |
| Gifted bundle keeps its own validity | Reported on Airtel's Data Share page; we could not load the live page |
| Me2U data expires with your bundle | Reported by two outlets, not stated on an Airtel page |
| Me2U 200MB per transaction, once per number per day | Within Nigeria (2023) only |
| Me2U 10MB minimum, two recipients a day | Earlier GizPulse text, not verified |
| Gifting has no daily cap | Within Nigeria (2023): "no fixed cap" if airtime covers it |
| Bonus or promotional data cannot be sent | Unverified |
| Recipient cannot re-share what they receive | Unverified |
Airtel has a separate service for Me2U airtime transfers. Primebusiness Africa's 2023 guide quoted a ₦10 fee per transfer and a ₦5,000 daily limit for airtime. Those apply to airtime, not data.
Common errors and fixes
Transfer failed straight away. Check your data with *323#. If the balance is lower than what you tried to send, or you tried to send almost everything, reduce the amount.
Invalid PIN. Try 1234, the default on Airtel's FAQ, then reset through *321# and PIN Management.
You got a success SMS, but the recipient got nothing. Wait a few minutes, then ask them to check *323#. If your balance dropped and theirs did not rise, call Airtel customer care on 300 (prepaid) or 131 (postpaid) with the time and recipient number (Airtel service guide). From another network or abroad, Airtel lists +234 8021500300 and +234 8021520800 (Airtel contact page).
Gifting fails with a promotional bundle. Pick a standard bundle from the menu instead.
"Daily limit" message. Airtel has not published a daily limit for Me2U that we could verify. If you see this, try again the next day or use Gifting.
USSD does not respond. Check your signal, redial, and try the Airtel app.
FAQ
What is the code to share data on Airtel?
Dial *312# to buy a bundle for someone with Buy for Others. For Me2U airtime and the Gift Data Bundle option, dial *321#.
Can I send data from Airtel to MTN?
No. Transfers only work between Airtel lines.
Does shared data expire?
Gifted bundles keep their own validity, per Airtel. Me2U data is reported to expire when your bundle does.
Is sharing data free?
You pay the bundle price when gifting. Whether Me2U data has a fee is not stated on Airtel's pages, so check your SMS receipt.
How do I check what data I have?
Dial *323#.
How do I reach Airtel customer care in Nigeria?
Dial 300 on an Airtel prepaid line, or 131 for postpaid.
Is there an MTN version?
Yes, but MTN Share moves airtime, not data. See how to share MTN airtime.
What to do next
Use Gifting if you want the recipient's data to last. Use Me2U for a quick small top-up, and change the default PIN first. If a transfer fails, check your balance before you try again.
Sources and what we checked
We read Airtel's Data Share and Gifting page, FAQ, service guide and contact page on 23 October 2026. Some of those pages loaded only through Airtel's mirror site, webuat.airtel.com.ng, which may lag the live site. We compared them with Technext24 (26 September 2025), Within Nigeria (26 July 2023) and Primebusiness Africa (21 August 2023). We did not test any step on a phone.
