Court Order Forces FCCPC to Suspend Airtime Lending Ban as Airtel, Glo Restore Services
Millions of telecom subscribers across Nigeria can once again access emergency airtime borrowing services after major network providers, including Airtel and Glo, restored their airtime lending platforms following a Federal High Court order halting the enforcement of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission’s (FCCPC) Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending (DEON) Regulations 2025.
Global Mirror News gathered that the restoration comes after growing legal pressure mounted against the FCCPC over its attempt to regulate telecom-based airtime advances under the new consumer lending framework.
Speaking on the development, Chairman of the Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria (WASPAN), Ayo Stuffman, confirmed that the services had resumed on both Airtel and Glo networks.
According to him, subscribers who rely heavily on emergency airtime credit for communication and small business transactions can now access the platforms again after days of uncertainty within the telecommunications sector.
Industry analysts estimate that Nigeria’s airtime lending market is valued at over ₦400 billion annually, making it one of the Country’s largest digital micro-credit ecosystems.
The controversy began after the FCCPC introduced the DEON Regulations 2025, arguing that airtime lending and other digital credit services fall under its regulatory authority due to increasing complaints involving data privacy breaches, excessive charges, and unfair lending practices.
The Commission disclosed that it had received more than 11,000 complaints linked to digital lending operations across the Country.
However, telecom stakeholders strongly opposed the move, insisting that airtime advances are telecom value-added services rather than traditional consumer loans.
The disagreement eventually escalated into a legal battle after Justice A. Allagoa of the Federal High Court in Lagos ordered the FCCPC to suspend enforcement of the regulations pending the determination of a suit challenging the Commission’s authority over airtime lending services.
Reports also indicated that Form 49 contempt proceedings were initiated against FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman, Tunji Bello, over alleged disobedience of the court order.
In response, FCCPC Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, announced that the Commission had complied with the court directive by temporarily suspending implementation of the regulations.
The Commission stated that, as a law-abiding institution, it would obey the court ruling while its legal team prepares to challenge both the order and the competence of the suit filed against it.
Stakeholders within the telecom industry have described the development as a temporary relief capable of restoring calm in the sector, though concerns remain over regulatory uncertainty and its possible impact on investors.
Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, had earlier stressed the need for clearer regulatory boundaries and policy predictability within Nigeria’s telecommunications industry.
For now, subscribers across the Country can continue accessing emergency airtime loans, while the outcome of the ongoing court battle is expected to determine the future regulatory control of Nigeria’s expanding digital credit and telecom services market.
