Nigerians, others borrowed $3.18bn in airtime in 2025

Nigerians and other emerging-market users borrowed $3.18bn in airtime on credit in 2025 (94% of it from Africa), a 12.3% jump from 2024, according to fintech firm Optasia’s latest financial statements as reported by Punch.

Running out of airtime mid-call? You’re not alone — and the numbers prove it. Mobile users across Nigeria and other emerging markets borrowed a staggering $3.18bn in airtime on credit in 2025, according to fintech firm Optasia‘s latest financial statements.

That’s up 12.3% from $2.83bn in 2024. As Optasia put it, “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.”

Africa, predictably, is leading the charge — gobbling up $2.99bn, or a whopping 94.2% of the global total, up from $2.53bn in 2024. Europe, Asia and the Middle East combined barely scratched $183.8m.

In naira terms, that’s roughly N4.61tn borrowed in 2025, up from N4.38tn in 2024 — though the naira’s strengthening to N1,450.58/$ (from N1,547.30/$) softened the growth on the local front.

So how does it work? Optasia’s tech platform quietly profiles subscribers’ behaviour, scores their creditworthiness and decides how much airtime they can borrow — instantly. But there’s risk involved too: “the Group also commits to indemnify the MNO for the amount of advance so granted, in case the subscriber fails to pay the same within a specified period of time from the date of grant of advance.”

For millions of cash-strapped Africans, that little “borrow airtime” prompt has become a financial lifeline.