0
Telecommunications subscribers across Nigeria have regained access to emergency airtime lending services as major operators, Airtel and Glo, restored the services following the suspension of the Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending (DEON) Regulations 2025 by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
The development follows a Federal High Court order in Lagos directing a halt to the enforcement of the regulations pending the determination of a suit challenging the Commission’s authority over telecom-based airtime advance services.
Confirming the resumption of the services, the Chairman of the Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria (WASPAN) said on Monday that the platforms were once again operational on both networks.
“As we speak, the services in question are already active on Airtel and Glo,” he said.
The return of the services is expected to benefit subscribers who rely on emergency airtime credit for communication and related commercial activities.
The FCCPC had earlier sought to regulate airtime lending platforms under the DEON Regulations 2025, maintaining that such services fall within the broader scope of digital consumer credit and therefore warrant regulatory oversight aimed at protecting users from concerns including data privacy issues and unfair lending practices.
The Commission also said it had received thousands of complaints relating to digital lending operations.
However, the regulatory move drew objections from stakeholders within the telecommunications ecosystem, including WASPAN and other operators, who maintain that airtime advances should be treated as telecom value-added services rather than conventional consumer loans.
The legal dispute intensified after the Federal High Court in Lagos issued an interim order restraining enforcement of the framework pending further proceedings in the case. Court filings referenced in the matter also indicate ongoing procedural disputes connected to the enforcement process.
In a statement issued on Friday, the FCCPC said it had suspended implementation of the regulations in compliance with the court order.
“As a law-abiding institution, the Commission, in deference and in obedience to the rule of law, hereby suspends the implementation and the enforcement of the DEON Regulations 2025,” the statement said.
The Commission also indicated that it intends to challenge aspects of the ruling, stating that its legal team had been directed to contest the court order and issues relating to the suit.
Industry stakeholders say the development may provide temporary relief within the telecom sector, although questions remain over the long-term regulatory framework governing digital credit and telecom-based lending services.
Stakeholders within the telecommunications industry have previously called for clearer regulatory boundaries and greater predictability within the sector.
For now, subscribers can once again access emergency airtime advances, while the outcome of the court proceedings is expected to shape the future regulatory approach to Nigeria’s evolving digital credit ecosystem.
