Nigerians Spent N3.208 Trillion On Airtime Despite Recession In 2017
The amount also represents the estimated revenue raked in by various telecoms companies across Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM),Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and fixed wired/wireless networks. In 2015 and 2016, estimated spending of subscribers on airtime purchases to access both voice and data services on the devices were conservatively valued at N2.8 trillion and N3.3 trillion respectively, as analysed by this newspaper. It was gathered that the airtime credits were purchased across different platforms such as the physical recharge card option, the virtual top-up (VTU) done through USSD code, subscribers’ bank accounts domiciled on their mobile devices, vending on web-based platforms, as well as on Automated Teller Machines (ATMs). The estimated airtime spending and revenue for subscribers and telcos respectively, was