The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has dismissed reports claiming that airtime borrowing and data advance services have been banned in Nigeria, describing the claims as false and misleading.
According to the Commission, there is no directive stopping consumers from accessing airtime borrowing or data advance services, and no telecom value-added service has been prohibited.
FCCPC explained that the confusion followed viral posts and media reports suggesting a ban, which it said misrepresented its recent regulatory actions in the digital lending and consumer credit space.
The Commission noted that in July 2025, it introduced the DEON Consumer Lending Regulations in response to rising consumer complaints about opaque charges, unexplained deductions, aggressive debt recovery practices, poor disclosure, and weak accountability among some service providers.
It said the regulations were designed to ensure transparency, responsible lending, data protection, proper registration of operators, and improved consumer complaint handling systems.
In the telecom sector, the FCCPC stated that its findings revealed some operators had adopted restrictive third-party arrangements that violated provisions of the FCCPC Act 2018. The new framework, it added, was intended to encourage fair competition and open up the market to compliant participants.
The Commission also disclosed that affected operators were given a 90-day compliance window starting July 2025, which was later extended to 5 January 2026. However, it said some operators failed to meet the requirements within the extended deadline.
FCCPC stressed that any service disruptions or suspensions experienced by users were business or compliance decisions by service providers—not a ban imposed by the regulator.
It urged the public to ignore misinformation, stating that regulatory efforts are aimed at protecting consumers, promoting transparency, and ensuring fair competition in the telecom and digital services market.
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