MTN’s fintech has made ₦131.62 billion so far this year, thanks to airtime lending
MTN Nigeria’s fintech arm made ₦131.62 billion ($91.64 million) in the first nine months of 2025, but mostly on the back of airtime lending (Xtratime). The why is understandable. MTN has a subscriber base of 89.64 million, and many depend on borrowed airtime for connectivity.
Core fintech revenue (excluding Xtratime) stood at ₦6.8 billion ($4.73 million), a 142.86% jump from ₦2.8 billion ($1.95 million) in the previous year, driven by an increase in interest income and usage of advanced services, a slide presentation during MTN’s investors call on October 31, 2025, revealed.
The telco knows it can’t rely on airtime lending forever, especially as the country’s two mobile money giants, OPay and PalmPay, continue to dominate mobile payments. To compete, MTN is betting on advanced services, value-chain digitisation, and high-value customers to shift from quick wins to long-term fintech growth.
“We still see substantial opportunities for growth and diversification,” Karl Toriola, CEO of MTN Nigeria, said on the call. “With disciplined execution, we are accelerating advanced services, expanding our ecosystem, and deepening customer engagement.
Read more: https://techcabal.com/2025/11/04/mtn-fintech-revenue-2025-airtime-lending/
