I sold recharge cards to fund my SSCE exams – Technician

Goals are not only absolutely necessary to inspire us, they are very important to motivate and keep us going, so says Atsen Levi, an Abuja-based recharge card seller and phone technician, PAUL OKAH reports.
It is without doubt that sales of recharge card, repair of phones as well as SIM registration is a lucrative business in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as residents are seen trooping in and out of Atsen’s stand in Maitama Business District of the city.
Asten attested to this while recounting to Business Starter, said he has achieved beyond his imagination in the business.
According to him,” I was able to register and write my Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) from this business, I have been able to also paid most of my bills and that of my younger ones”.
On challenges of the business, Atsen explained that his major challenge is the capital to augment the business.
“As you know, network providers have recharge cards of different denominations, so I sometimes don’t have enough money to buy all the MTN recharge cards that people need.
“Sometimes I don’t have enough money to buy all the MTN recharge cards that people need. I may buy N00 or N200 airtime, while some rich men and women will need N400, N750,1500 or N5,000 recharge card.”
Other challenges, according to him, “It is a challenge. At times the network is very bad so it poses a challenge especially in registering SIM card for a customer.
“Again, when a customer brings a phone for me to repair, I have to be very careful or another customer may steal or claim it, which may result to me replacing the customer’s lost phone”.

How did it all start?
Asten told our correspondent that when he came to Abuja 2011, he started his business through a friend who taught him how to register SIM cards, sales of recharge cards and repair phones.
“So from there, it took me like 2 years to study the business terrain before establishing my own place here at NICON Junction in Maitama district.

A new lease of life
According to him, the business has not only been paying his bills, it has also kept him away from crime and evil thoughts.
“I am waiting to write UTME and I don’t have to depend on my parents for my education because the business can sustain me even while am on campus.
“When I get into the University, I can repair student phones to pay my tuition fees and buy my handouts”

Future aspiration
On his aspiration for the future, “I want to study Computer Science or Information and Communications Technology in the University”.
“I needed a stepping stone to enable me actualise my dream in life, after my school education ,” he said.
Asten, firmly believes in the saying that whatever has a beginning has an end and so his perseverance paid off as the business began to yield some profit after years of struggling.
After graduating in school, Levi hopes to explore other business opportunities.

How to start a recharge card business
If you are not living in the rocks, I can bet you would have heard that you can start recharge card printing business in Nigeria and make cool money from the business.
Well, it’s for real. Those recharge vouchers you buy at the road side, in your street etc are printed by human beings like me and your.
Well, starting recharge card printing business is not rocket science. You only have to put some things in place and have a reliable recharge card dealer in Nigeria that will be supplying you ePins. Things you need to start recharge card printing business include:

1. Computer: Can be a desktop computer or laptop
2. Printer: Laserjet recommended!
3. A4 papers
4. ePins of any network you want to print
5. Recharge card printing software eg NetDivo ePin Manager.
I did not include internet access because it’s not compulsory. Most recharge card printing softwares don’t require internet for printing recharge cards.
More so, a dealer might be in your neighbourhood and getting epins from such a dealer might just be a matter of walking in to the dealer shop to pick up a flash drive or CD containing your epins.
If you are dealing with a dealer or sub dealer that is far away from you, then you will need internet access to download the epins they will be sending to your email.
When doing this, it’s better you do it on your personal computer and not at a cyber cafe where anyone can access your email especially if you forget to sign out from your email account before leaving the cyber cafe.
Once you have your laptop, printer and papers ready, proceed to download the recharge card printing software. Install it and ensure you learn how to use it.

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