Airtime lending resumes as FCCPC halts enforcement of regulations

Telecom subscribers in Nigeria have regained access to emergency airtime lending services after Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission suspended enforcement of its Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending (DEON) Regulations 2025.

The development follows a Federal High Court order in Lagos directing the Commission to halt implementation of the rules pending the outcome of a suit challenging its authority over telecom-based airtime credit services.

Confirming the update, Ayo Stuffman, chairman of the Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria, said services have resumed on networks operated by Airtel Nigeria and Globacom.

The restoration is expected to benefit millions of subscribers who rely on airtime borrowing for communication and small-scale business needs, with the market estimated to be worth over ₦400 billion annually.

The FCCPC had sought to regulate airtime lending under its broader digital lending framework, citing thousands of consumer complaints related to privacy concerns and unfair practices before the court intervened.