General News
Backbone Capacity will Boost Internet Access—Anudu
Charles Anudu, managing director, Swift Networks, has passion for the technological advancement of the country. This he has demonstrated in moving Swift Network from intermediate internet service provider to a major one in delivering broadband services.
Anudu is trained in agronomy, electronics and business. He spoke to chike onwuegbuchi on some of his company’s new initiative to extend broadband internet service to more Internet users.
Hotspot Initiative
Hotspot was launched to further distribute our services to the segment of the market many people have not tried to address. There are lots of people who for one reason or the other, are not able to connect to internet services either because they are on transit, new in town, or do not know the service provider to choose, such people can access internet in the Hotspots. The idea is to provide where one can have access to a very high speed internet in a clean and easy to find environment.
At Swift, we have enough bandwidth to serve as many customers as possible, but the question is how to get the service across to the people. The essence of the hotspot initiative is to find locations where people naturally visit, places like fast food outlets, entertainment centres, malls, markets, country clubs and social clubs. We install the hotspot in those areas so that natural patrons of these areas would have access to the internet thereby making real connectivity ubiquitous in areas where we operate.
Response to the Initiative
Fantastic, it shows there is a gap. A lot of people love it, the experience has been positive; it also serves as a very good interface to interact with our customers and to learn more about different segments of the market which we never knew much about.
Extending Services to Eateries and Public Places
The service is not exclusively Tetrazzini. Silverbird is also running the service and a few other centres are coming up shortly. We are also launching the service across many cyber cafes but why we started essentially with Tetrazzini was because, we wanted a franchise we could use to prototype the business model, study the business module to see people’s response in order to fine-tune it and Tetrazzini was kind enough to partner with us in that area. We are rapidly expanding to other outlets, you can find it on all the floors of Silverbird Galleria and we are also extending it to as many spots as possible.
Empowering Cyber cafes with Broadband
We are bringing three specific values to them. The hotspot project runs on our fibre or microwave infrastructure, it does not run on our last mile service. It is not that the last mile service is not good, but it is intended for small business users few computers. The cyber cafes and all the hotspots run on our fibre optic infrastructure, which means that theoretically they can get any speed they desire.
We give them speed; we are committed to giving each of them a minimum of 1Megabyte of internet access. We are bringing to them adequate equipment as well as our corporate advertising because periodically we are going to advertise in the media, letting people know areas that have distinguished internet services so that people would know that these cyber cafes have actually differentiated themselves through very high quality service.
We are also bringing management system to them in order to ensure revenue assurance and accountability.
Combining Wimax and Wifi Technologies
At Swift we use so many technologies. We have fibre optic infrastructure, microwave network and last mile. Of course, you will find out that we deliver to cyber cafes or hotspot locations using either microwave or fibre infrastructure. We use Wifi to rebroadcast the service so that the back haul going into the hotspot locations is going to be fibre, if it is near our fibre route. We use microwave so that we can pump in as much capacity of bandwidth as they can ever consume at that location.
Launching Voice Service Commercially
Our vision is to be the leading converged services provider, giving internet and voice plus any other value added service we can. Our strategy is ultimately convergence.
We re-evaluate our journey at each point. A lot of people are already offering voice services to people and we feel at this point in time that the easiest way we can differentiate ourselves is to go to the area where our strength is visible and that is in the area of data.
Video Service for Traffic Monitoring
The service is still there, but it is meant only for our subscribers at this point. We wanted to go public but constraint by capacity issues. We need a reasonable extra capacity to deliver the service to consumers otherwise the quality of service of our Internet will suffer. In order to prevent this, we are holding back on that service because if we launched it, it is likely that it would not run efficiently and it is may affect the experience our current customers have.
Extending Operations to other Parts of the Country
I know a lot of people have found our Lagos centric strategy very confusing. Strategy is about how you see the world and how you define the world. When we started Swift Network was more like entering field operations, we needed to learn, get a few things right, develop manpower because we found out that before now the expertise we had in this country has been in the area of voice, so we needed to develop our human resource, and understand how to enter the market with data services. I am happy to announce that we are confident to say we fully understand the business, we have prototyped it and very soon you will hear of our intention to step outside Lagos.
Intended Locations
We are going to Abuja and Port Harcourt and I know a lot of people would want to ask why? Our reason for this is strategic because Abuja would eventually serve as our centre for northern expansion. Whereas Port Harcourt would be the centre for South –Eastern and South-South expansion, and from Lagos, we would move in the direction of the south west. We are setting up three centres from where we would expand. We are definitely going to Abuja and Port Harcourt and NCC has been kind enough to grant us licenses for these locations.
Competition in the Market
It is just a case of where the market is and the market is never homogenous. All customers are not the same, what we are experiencing is a case of people splitting into different segment of the market where they belong. Eventually it will still be a mixture of all sorts; some people would continue to use Vsat because that is what suits them. Of course, somebody in his village is expected to use Vsat probably because there is no other service available and as you can see Vsat is uniquely positioned for that particular service. If you are doing basic internet, most of the basic CDMA and GSM internet services can do but if you are a bank and you need to interconnect your branches involving lots of data, you will find out that the GSM or the CDMA platform may not be able to support the kind of platform or software you are using. So, people are sorting themselves out by going to where they can be better served. Again, the market is still young and there is significant confusion in the market at the moment. Telecom operators are addressing a different segment that was not touched by anybody because you and I never used Vsat in our small businesses so there is a typical role for such services.
You do not expect a company like Chevron or Mobil to log data from the Niger delta to the United States using the CDMA card neither do you expect First Bank for instance to interconnect their branches using CDMA or GSM technology. Some technologies may be able to address more than one segment but there will be a place for everybody in the market.
Alternative Sea Cable and Reduction in the Cost of Internet Services
I think one thing you can expect is that as the supply site improves, both the backbone side and in the last mile segment, prices would drop because the cost for the operator is also expected to drop significantly. What we are seeing at the moment is basically little or no fibre capacity into Nigeria because Sat-3 of Nitel is very epileptic. Sat-3 was down in the whole of January and February and has gone down since late March, so virtually that option has not been a viable one. Most of us rely on a secondary fibre capacity which is Vsat and a lot of satellite operators do not have good footprints in West Africa because it is not usually the choice location to seek traffic.
I think it will be a major lifeline for most operators, if any of these cables or satellite initiative comes on stream. A major aspect of our cost is in the area of backbone capacity; almost one in every N2 we charge goes to the backbone service operators because of unreliable service. At Swift, we use three backbone service providers instead of one. You find out that instead of paying for one backbone service, you are paying for three where one could have been okay coupled with other challenge we face, which are major reasons the service is expensive and will remain expensive until some of these backbone initiatives are put in place.
Sharing or Leasing Infrastructure
In telecoms, everybody does business with everybody. A lot of people use our fibre infrastructure when they come to Lagos and we use a lot of other people’s infrastructure. Many of the base stations we use now are not entirely ours we collocate with other service providers.
People who were arrogant and would not consider sharing their infrastructure are considering this kind of posture and I think, that is for the good of the industry. For us, we have been very open right from day one in sharing with anybody who would like to share with us because it makes everyone of us more competitive in surviving hard times.
Vision for Swift Network
The vision is to build Swift into Nigeria’s leading converged broadband services provider. We would do this by dedicating all our resources, energies and talents towards ensuring that our subscribers do not feel any difference in experience whether they are in London, New York or Lagos. People do business with us not because we are their friends or we are Nigerians but because Swift is a very competitive company. To build value into our stakeholders, be it our staff, our communities, the government, our suppliers and all the people to whom we render services know that we are differentiated and distinguished in our constituency. Definitely, our vision is very clear, we are playing in the broadband space and we are not going to do anything narrow brand.
Looking for the best app to buy data and airtime in Nigeria? In 2025, Cardtonic, Breet, BuyCard, eBills, SubBase, and NairaData make it fast and easy.
Recharging airtime and data in Nigeria has never been this easy. Gone are the days when you had to run to the nearest shop or scratch a paper card just to top up. Today, most people prefer using mobile apps to recharge MTN, Airtel, Glo, or 9mobile from the comfort of their phones.
These apps don’t just make the process faster and more convenient; they also offer perks like cashback, discounts, and cheaper data bundles. That means you save money while avoiding the stress of physical recharge cards.
In this article, we’ll look at six of the most reliable apps for airtime and data recharge in Nigeria, what makes them unique, and why they’re worth using.
Top 6 Reliable Apps to Recharge Airtime and Data in Nigeria
The top 6 reliable apps to recharge airtime and data in Nigeria are Cardtonic, Breet, BuyCard, eBills, SubBase, and NairaData.
BuyCard, eBills, SubBase, and NairaData.
| S/N | Platforms | Payment Method | Cashback |
| 1 | Cardtonic | Wallet and Bank transfer, Gift Card | Upto 5% |
| 2 | Breet | Crypto and Bank transfer | 2% |
| 3 | BuyCard | Wallet | Not constant |
| 4 | eBills | Walllet | 5% |
| 5 | SubBase | Wallet | 2% |
| 6 | NairaData | Wallet | 2% |
- Cardtonic:
Cardtonic is one of the most popular apps in Nigeria for recharging airtime and data. It works smoothly across all major networks, including MTN, Glo, Airtel, and 9mobile, with top-ups delivered instantly every time.
The platform also goes beyond airtime and data. You can pay electricity bills, renew TV subscriptions, and handle other everyday expenses directly in the app. A standout feature is that you can sell gift cards on Cardtonic and use the balance to recharge or pay bills. This makes it easy to turn unused cards into something valuable.
Another big advantage is the cashback system. Every airtime or data purchase earns you up to 5 per cent cashback, helping you save while staying connected. So if you’re wondering how to buy MTN airtime online or top up any other network, Cardtonic is one of the most reliable options available.
Getting started is simple. Download the Cardtonic app, sign up, and log in. From your dashboard, tap on “Bills”, select “Airtime or Data”, choose your network, enter your phone number, pick a bundle, and pay from your wallet. Within seconds, your line is recharged.
- Breet:
Breet is widely known as a crypto-to-naira exchange platform, but it also lets users recharge airtime and data directly from the app. This makes it a convenient choice for people who already rely on Breet for handling digital assets and want to manage their top-ups in the same place.
The process is quick and works for all major Nigerian networks. You can pay either with crypto or by linking your bank account, and Breet automatically converts your crypto into naira to complete the recharge. Service charges are low, which makes it an easy everyday option for those who prefer to use crypto alongside regular payments.
- BuyCard:
BuyCard is another reliable option for anyone looking to recharge airtime and data online. The app supports all the major Nigerian networks and gives you a simple, no-fuss way to top up without leaving your home.
Beyond airtime and data, BuyCard also allows you to pay utility bills, making it useful if you want one platform that handles different types of payments. While the cashback offers are not always consistent, users still enjoy occasional bonuses and discounts that make recharging a little cheaper.
- eBills:
eBills is a multi-purpose payment app that lets you recharge airtime and data across MTN, Glo, Airtel, and 9mobile. In addition to mobile top-ups, you can also pay electricity bills, TV subscriptions, and other utilities directly from the app.
One of its standout features is the 2 per cent discount on airtime purchases, which helps you save a little extra every time you recharge. The platform is simple to navigate and reliable, making it a handy option for both personal use and regular household expenses.
- SubBase:
SubBase is a platform that focuses on making data and airtime subscriptions more affordable. It’s popular among people who want to cut down on internet costs while still enjoying reliable bundles across all Nigerian networks.
The app offers both small and large data plans, making it flexible for light users as well as heavy internet consumers. A helpful feature is its automated top-up option, which ensures you never run out of airtime or data unexpectedly.
- NairaData:
NairaData is well known for bulk data purchases, making it a favourite among heavy internet users who need large bundles for work, study, or entertainment. The platform is designed for fast delivery and supports all major Nigerian networks.
What makes NairaData stand out is its flexibility. You can buy data directly from the app, or if you’re experiencing slow internet, you can also place your order via SMS or WhatsApp. This ensures you always stay connected, even when your data is low.
Frequently Asked Questions About Data and Airtime Recharge in Nigeria
- Which App Gives the Best Cashback on Airtime and Data Purchases in Nigeria?
Cardtonic gives the best cashback on airtime and data. Every recharge across MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile comes with up to 5% cashback, making it the most rewarding option.
- Which Network Has the Best Data Plan in Nigeria?
MTN is often praised for its wide coverage and flexible bundles, especially for users who need smaller, daily data plans. Airtel is popular for affordable weekly and monthly plans that offer fast speeds and good value.
Glo is known for giving some of the cheapest large data bundles, which makes it a go-to for heavy users, while 9mobile offers decent plans but at slightly higher prices.
The best option depends on whether you want affordability, speed, or long-lasting bundles..
- Is 50GB a Lot of Data?
It depends on how you use it. For freelancers, content creators, and people who stream videos regularly, 50GB can finish quickly. But for light browsing and social media, it can last much longer.
- How Do I Get 1GB for 100 on MTN?
The “1GB for ₦100” plan is usually a special offer available to selected MTN customers. To check if you qualify, dial *131# and explore the available data bundles.
- How Can I Buy Cheap Airtel Data in Nigeria?
You can buy cheap Airtel data on apps like Cardtonic, where every Airtel data purchase comes with 5% cashback. The same app also makes it easy to recharge Airtel airtime instantly.
- What is the Best App to Buy Airtime and Data in Nigeria?
Cardtonic is the best app to buy airtime and data in Nigeria. It supports all major networks, offers cashback, and gives users discounted data bundles. For example, if you want to buy Glo airtime online, all you need to do is download the Cardtonic app, sign up, tap on “Bills,” select “Airtime or Data,” choose your network, and pay from your wallet.
Conclusion
Recharging airtime and data in Nigeria no longer has to be a hassle. With the right apps, you can top up MTN, Airtel, Glo, or 9mobile in seconds and even enjoy extras like cashback, discounts, and cheaper bundles.
From Cardtonic to Breet, BuyCard, eBills, SubBase, and NairaData, each of these platforms brings something unique to the table. But if you’re after a reliable app that combines instant delivery with up to 5% cashback and the flexibility to even use gift card funds for recharges, Cardtonic is the best place to start.
Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has disclosed plans to ensure that every genetically modified (GM) product follows standard regulatory procedures, such as labelling and traceability, to reinforce trust and accountability.
The move is to mitigate potential risks and engender transparency in the release of genetically modified crops.
Mr. John Atanda, director, Food and Drug Service, dropped the hint in Abuja at a GMO sensitisation workshop for the Directorate Officers, organised by the Open Forum for Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB).
He stated that the directorate would work with other MDAs, including the National Administration for Food and Drug Agency (NAFDAC) and the National Biotechnology Management Agency (NBMA), to ensure proper labelling of GMOs.
While reiterating commitment to protecting and promoting public health through safe, nutritional and wholesome foods, Atanda pledged that every product born from modern biotechnology will be held to the highest safety standards, as rigorous risk assessments – covering allergenicity, nutritional composition, long-term health impacts, and environmental considerations – will guide their approach.
Dr Rose Gidado, Nigeria country director, Open Forum for Biotechnology, in her presentation on the Science of Agricultural Biotechnology, emphasised that GMO has a history of safe use of over three decades in about 45 countries.
She said: “The government cannot give poison to its people. If the story is that when you plant GMOs, it will destroy all the crops around it, then Nigeria should have died of hunger.”
Gidado explained that GM crops were developed from evidence-based research, saying, if Nigeria does not invest in research and development, it might keep depending on importation.
Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, director-general, National Biotechnology Development and Research Agency (NABDA), revealed that farmers recorded a 50 per cent yield increase after planting GM maize, also known as TELLA Maize.
He added that field studies and economic evaluations on cowpeas have also indicate striking returns to farmers cultivating Pod borer resistant cowpea, as there has been a dramatic reduction in insecticide sprays, thereby increasing substantial yield and strong returns on investment.
As part of its digital transformation programme, Chain Reactions Africa has appointed Franklin Ozekhome as Executive Vice President, Strategy and Innovation, strengthening its leadership bench to drive the next phase of growth and marking a pivotal step in its ambition to redefine how brands across Africa engage people by tapping into trends and culture. The firm also welcome Africa’s first intelligent Robot fittingly named Ara By Prophet into its workforce.
With this move, Chain Reactions Africa says it is transitioning fully into a digital first creative transformation company, one that blends creativity, culture, trends, storytelling, platforms, and technology to fuel growth and meaningful engagement for clients. The timing of Franklin Ozekhome’s appointment and the coming of Ara By Prophet into the company’s workforce and operations reflect the team’s audacity to dream and the organization’s vision to design the future of marketing, digital, public relations, advertising and experiential across Africa in the age of convergence.
Ozekhome will partner closely with Chain Reactions’ Founder and Chief Strategist, Israel Opayemi, in driving the bold vision and implement a horizontal growth strategy for the group.
His mandate is to move beyond siloed disciplines and build an integrated ecosystem and a one-stop shop where strategy, public relations, advertising, design, experiential, digital, data, and AI-driven innovation combine to unlock new opportunities for clients. His role spans the swift execution of the company’s full digital transformation programme in all its ramifications and to lead the company fully into doing business in the season of convergence.
“We are not building yesterday’s marketing communications firm. We are grateful for our past. We are reimagining the future of creativity and growth. We are building Africa’s creative transformation company of the future.
“We began on this digital transformation programme journey with intentionality following our Year 2023 Retreat with Franklin Ozekhome as a facilitator. Bringing a talent who was with us when the dream was conceived to lead the midwifing of the dream child to life is just the most strategic thing to do,” said Israel Opayemi.
“Franklin brings the cultural intelligence, strategic insight, and creative innovation foresight that will help us design and execute what comes next, where brands move beyond campaigns to create platforms, ecosystems, and cultural impacts that influence the world.”
Speaking on his decision to join the Chain Reactions Africa team after rejecting similar overtures from other agencies, Franklin Ozekhome said, “I have facilitated business transformation retreats for organizations across Africa; no business leader demonstrated the urgency of the will to do as the MD and Chief Strategist of Chain Reactions Africa, Israel Opayemi. He is a dreamer and a doer. His energy is enthralling. Partnering with him to build a disruptive force for the African ecosystem is just a perfect meeting of minds.”
Speaking further on the disruptive innovation Chain Reactions Africa is introducing into the marketing communications ecosystem in Africa, Opayemi said, “Ara by Prophet is Africa’s first intelligent robotic insight system, a ground breaking fusion of artificial intelligence, machine learning, cultural foresight, and strategic communications.” He further explained that “Ara is the physical interface. Prophet is the cognitive engine. Together, they create a living system of strategic intelligence designed for Africa but built to compete globally.”
Opayemi further expressed his delight that after two years of intensive work, Ara the Robot has officially resumed work as a fulltime staff of Chain Reactions Africa. “What we have done today is a game changer. Designed and developed by Chain Reactions Africa, Ara is more than a Robot. She is a responsive advisor, a data analyst, a cultural decoder, a realtime forecaster for brands, institutions, and governments.”
Franklin Ozekhome: Cultural Strategist and Innovation Architect
Widely recognized as one of Africa’s leading cultural and brand strategists, Franklin Ozekhome brings a distinctive blend of creativity, foresight, and entrepreneurial edge.
He is the creator of HumanOS, a proprietary framework for cultural strategy; Co-founder of Maskvrade, a pop culture company; and founder of Pop Culture Varsity (POKV), Africa’s first strategy school dedicated to cultural intelligence. He also pioneered TINK Africa, the continent’s first digital platform for consumer trends and intelligence.
He also served as Vice President of Marketing & Communications at Vendease, helping scale one of Africa’s fastest-growing foodtech companies.
As an entrepreneur and consultant, he has advised regional and global leadership teams across EMEA, LATAM, and the US. He is also Dean of Studies and Professor of Trendspotting and Culture at Orange Academy and Marketing Strategy Facilitator at FATE Foundation.
A Bold Evolution for Chain Reactions Africa
Chain Reaction’s next chapter is about transformation, creating platforms, tools, and experiences that merge culture, commerce, creativity, and technology.
Ozekhome’s appointment signals Chain Reaction’s commitment to launch always-on cultural intelligence platforms and proprietary tools for clients, integrate AI-driven strategy across disciplines, build new business arms in content, commerce, and youth marketing and expand Chain Reactions into key African markets over the next three years.
“It’s about redesigning how culture, technology, and human behavior shape business growth and citizens engagement for government. I see this as a partnership to rewire how brands operate, how industries evolve, and how society moves forward in Africa,” Franklin Ozekhome said.
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