The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has clarified that it has not banned or shut down airtime borrowing or data advance services in Nigeria.
In a statement signed by its Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, the Commission described reports suggesting a suspension of such services as false and misleading.
It explained that no directive has been issued prohibiting consumers from accessing lawful telecom value-added services, including airtime and data advances, stressing that such services remain available.
According to the FCCPC, the confusion followed regulatory measures introduced in July 2025 under the Digital, Electronic, Online, or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending (DEON) Regulations.
The Commission said the framework was introduced after a surge in consumer complaints relating to opaque charges, unexplained deductions, aggressive recovery practices, poor disclosure standards, and weak accountability within parts of the digital lending and advance-services market.
It noted that the regulations were not designed to ban services but to promote fairness and transparency by requiring operators to register properly, clearly disclose fees and terms, adopt responsible lending practices, and provide accessible complaint channels for consumers.
The FCCPC added that the measures are intended to strengthen consumer protection, improve service quality, and boost market confidence.
It further revealed that some telecom operators had engaged in exclusionary third-party arrangements in violation of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018, limiting competition in the sector. The new framework, it said, aims to open the market to both local and international participants in line with free market principles.
“The primary aim is to promote a fairer and more transparent system by mandating proper registration, responsible lending conduct, clear disclosure of fees and terms, accessible consumer complaint channels, data protection safeguards, stronger accountability for third-party partners, and effective regulatory oversight,” the statement said.
The Commission stated that operators were initially given a 90-day compliance window, later extended to January 5, 2026, to align with the regulations. However, some operators failed to regularise their services within the timeframe and continued practices that had generated consumer complaints.
It clarified that any temporary suspension or restriction of airtime borrowing or data advance services should be seen as a business or compliance decision by operators, not a regulatory ban.
The FCCPC also warned against attempts to spread disinformation, urging Nigerians to disregard false narratives and rely on verified information regarding telecom services.
