I know of someone who makes 5k profit recharge card a day as lucrative as 150,000 to 180,000 a month

There’s this guy I know—let’s call him Tunde. We grew up in the same neighborhood. Not rich, not poor, just regular boys trying to make something out of life. The kind of guy you’d pass on the street and not think twice, because he was never flashy or loud. But what many didn’t know was that Tunde had built something real for himself. Quietly. Steadily. Every single day.

Tunde sells recharge cards.

Yes, that’s it. Nothing fancy. No tech startup, no importation hustle, no crypto. Just plain old recharge cards—the kind people buy every day without even thinking. You see him with his little table, usually under a shade or near a junction. A cardboard sign reading “Airtime Available” and a bunch of SIM card registration forms neatly arranged beside him.

At first, I didn’t take it seriously. I mean, recharge cards? How much could that really bring in?

Then one day, we got talking, and he told me how he makes at least ₦5,000 profit every day just from airtime sales alone. I raised my eyebrows, not out of disbelief but out of the realization that I had completely underestimated what consistency and strategy could do. Five thousand naira a day might not sound like much to some people, but multiply that by 30 days, and you’re looking at around ₦150,000 monthly—sometimes even ₦180,000 when business is really moving.

That’s more than what some office workers earn, and he’s doing it on his own terms, without a boss breathing down his neck.

The secret, he said, wasn’t in doing something new. It was in doing something needed—and doing it well. “Airtime na daily bread,” he laughed. “People go always buy. As long as person dey use phone, he go recharge.”

And he was right. Look around: everyone has a phone. From students to mechanics, tailors to teachers. In Nigeria, data is life. Calls are still being made, especially in areas where people don’t use online payment apps often. Even with bank apps and USSD, there’s still a huge market for direct recharge sellers, especially in local areas where many prefer cash transactions.

But Tunde didn’t stop there.

Beside his recharge card table is another hustle that adds serious weight to his earnings: SIM registration. You know how MTN, Airtel, and other network providers always need people to help register SIMs, collect biometric data, and handle customer onboarding? Tunde signed up with a telecom agent program and started registering SIM cards for a commission.

He said that was where things really changed. Now, he wasn’t just selling airtime. He was helping people replace lost SIMs, register new lines, update NIN info, and even activate data bonuses. The telecoms paid him for each registration, and customers came back because they trusted him.

Trust — that’s the biggest currency Tunde deals in.

He knows almost everyone in the area. People don’t second guess when they hand him their NIN slip or when they need help unlocking a blocked SIM. He doesn’t overcharge. He gives honest advice. When network fails, he explains. When someone’s line has issues, he helps resolve it. That consistency and integrity are what keep people coming back.

When I asked how he manages to make such steady profit, he broke it down in a way that made perfect sense. Airtime is fast-moving. Even if you only make ₦20 to ₦50 per sale, those little drops add up quickly when you’re selling dozens of times a day. He reinvests immediately. No long delay. As money comes in, he rotates it into more stock, more cards, more SIM kits.

Tunde also doesn’t rent a shop, so his overhead costs are low. He works smart. Keeps his setup clean. Has a small umbrella for rain or sun. Some days he brings his own chair; some days he stands. Either way, he’s there before 9 a.m. and doesn’t pack up until people start heading home from work. Rain or shine, he's consistent.

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Over time, his daily routine has turned into something solid — a business. He’s not just “that guy selling recharge cards.” He’s the go-to for anything telecom in the area. People now say, “Go meet Tunde, he go run am for you,” whether it’s for airtime, SIM registration, or mobile setup. And when he tells you business is good, he means it. He’s not trying to impress anyone. He’s just showing what’s possible with patience, honesty, and everyday hustle.

The thing that gets to me is how quietly powerful his story is. No noise. No social media flex. Just steady daily income that now lets him live on his own terms. His kids go to school. He supports his family. He has peace of mind. And he’s doing it by serving a real need in the community.

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One time, I saw a young guy laugh and say, “This small business fit even buy car like this?” Tunde just smiled and replied, “Na every day e dey grow. Small small.” That’s the truth of it. There’s power in consistency. In showing up every day. In doing the basics really well.

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Today, Tunde is thinking of expanding. Not in a flashy way, but in a smart one. He’s talking to someone about getting another line registered to his name and setting up a second kiosk in the next street. Maybe train someone to help him. Maybe add more services like bill payments or data bundle reselling. Because now he sees it clearly: this is more than a hustle. It’s a livelihood.

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 honestly, it’s inspired me too. Not just because of the money, but because of the dignity in it. The way he’s built something real, something sustainable. There’s honor in that. There's trust. And there's proof that even with the simplest business — selling airtime and registering SIM cards — you can earn a real, steady income in Nigeria if you stay committed.

So whenever someone asks me if small hustles still work, I always think of Tunde. Every single day, making ₦5,000. Quietly stacking up to ₦150,000 or more every month. No hype. Just results. And that, to me, is one of the smartest business moves you can make.