Mobile phone users in Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya and other African countries borrowed N4.61 trillion ($3.18 billion) in airtime credit from their various mobile network operators (MNOs) last year.

Optasia’s latest financial report said the credit underscored a massive reliance on nano-loans to stay connected in Africa.

Optasia stated: “Airtime credit services represent service fees charged on airtime credit amounting to $3,176.34 million (2024: $2,829.2 million) granted to subscribers of the telecom operators during the year.”

Optasia’s nano-loan business also expanded rapidly, with loan disbursements more than doubling to $2.3 billion as more consumers relied on small digital loans.

Nigeria remains one of Optasia’s key markets, even as the company faces regulatory uncertainty over plans to open the country’s airtime credit sector to more local fintech firms.

Using the exchange rates disclosed in the financial statements, the airtime advances amounted to about N4.61 trillion in 2025 in naira terms, up from approximately N4.38 trillion in 2024.

It should be noted that 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.

According to Optasia, Africa remained the dominant market for the service, accounting for $2.99 billion, or 94.2 per cent, of all airtime credit disbursed in 2025. This was up from $2.53 billion recorded in 2024. Europe and Asia accounted for $96.1 million, while the Middle East contributed $87.7 million.

The report analysis showed that the figures highlighted the growing dependence of millions of mobile users across Africa on small-value digital credit products, particularly in economies where access to formal financial services remains limited, and household purchasing power is under pressure.

Optasia, which provides airtime advances and nano-loan services through partnerships with mobile network operators and financial institutions, said its technology platform assesses subscribers’ behaviour and determines their eligibility for credit.

According to the company, the platform handles “scoring, financial decisioning and disbursements” by analysing subscribers’ credit history and other relevant data before determining the amount of advance that can be granted.

The report explained that the company also assumes part of the credit risk associated with the service. “As part of the airtime credit service, 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,” it stated.

Beyond airtime lending, the company recorded a sharp increase in nano-loan transactions during the year. Its Mobile Financial Services segment facilitated nano-loans worth $2.30 billion in 2025, more than double the $967.9 million recorded in the previous year.

Africa accounted for $1.41 billion, representing 61.4 per cent of the total, while Europe and Asia contributed $888.9 million. The company said the loans were provided through arrangements involving telecom operators and financial institutions, with its proprietary platform supporting credit scoring, approvals, disbursements and collections.

The growth in airtime lending and nano-loan transactions boosted the firm’s earnings during the year. Revenue rose by 75.5 per cent to $265.36 million in 2025 from $151.19 million in 2024. Mobile Financial Services contributed $167.53 million to revenue, while airtime credit services generated $96.86 million.

Africa remained the company’s biggest revenue source, contributing $234.81million, or 88.5 per cent of total revenue, compared with $121.31 million in the previous year. Europe and Asia generated $25.43 million, while the Middle East accounted for $5.12 million.

Profit after tax increased to $43.13 million from $36.23 million in 2024, while total assets more than doubled to $302.17 million from $141.79 million.

Optasia described itself as “an analytics technology services provider in the fintech sector offering its services to large mobile telecom operators to provide airtime/data credit, micro- and nano-cash loans to underbanked populations in the emerging markets.”