Telecom Consumers Borrow Airtime Worth N4.6trn In 1 Year

Millions of mobile subscribers across Africa borrowed airtime worth about N4.6 trillion ($3.18 billion) in 2025, underscoring the growing role of telecom-based lending as households grapple with rising living costs and limited access to formal credit facilities.
The latest figures contained in the financial statements of fintech firm Optasia, showed that airtime advances issued through mobile network operators increased by 12.3 per cent to $3.18 billion in 2025 from $2.83 billion recorded in 2024.
Africa accounted for $2.99 billion of the total disbursements, representing more than 94 per cent of all airtime credit granted globally by the company during the period.
The report highli...