Mobile phone subscribers in Nigeria and other emerging markets borrowed airtime worth $3.18bn on credit in 2025, with Africa accounting for more than 94 per cent of the total, according to the latest financial statements of fintech firm Optasia.
The company’s 2025 consolidated financial statements showed that airtime advances granted through telecom operators rose to $3.18bn last year from $2.83bn in 2024, reflecting a 12.3 per cent increase.
Optasia stated, “Airtime credit services represent service fees charged on airtime credit amounting to $3,176.34m (2024: $2,829.2m) granted to subscribers of the telecom operators during the year.”
Using the exchange rates disclosed in the financial statements, the airtime advances amounted to about N4.61tn in 2025 in naira terms, up from approximately N4.38tn in 2024.
Despite the growth in dollar terms, the naira value rose by a slower pace as the exchange rate strengthened to N1,450.58/$ at the end of 2025 from N1,547.30/$ a year earlier.
