The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has dismissed reports suggesting that it banned airtime borrowing and data advance services in Nigeria, describing such claims as false and misleading.
In a statement issued on Friday, April 17, 2026, and signed by its Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, the Commission clarified that it did not issue any directive prohibiting consumers from accessing telecom value-added services.
The FCCPC said its attention was drawn to newspaper publications and viral social media posts alleging that it had shut down or cancelled airtime and data advance services. According to the Commission, these claims are incorrect and do not reflect its regulatory actions.
The agency explained that its intervention in the sector followed a surge in consumer complaints related to opaque charges, unexplained deductions, aggressive debt recovery practices, and poor disclosure standards among digital lending and advance-service providers.
To address these concerns, the Commission introduced the DEON Consumer Lending Regulations in July 2025. It noted that the regulations were designed to curb exploitative practices, improve transparency, and strengthen accountability within the market.
Under the framework, service providers are required to register properly, adopt responsible lending practices, clearly disclose terms and charges, and establish accessible complaint channels, among other obligations.
The FCCPC further disclosed that its findings in the telecommunications sector revealed exclusionary third-party arrangements by some operators, in violation of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018. It said the regulations were also aimed at opening up the market to local players in line with fair competition principles.
The Commission stated that affected operators were initially given a 90-day compliance window starting from July 2025, which was later extended to January 5, 2026. However, it noted that some operators failed to regularise their operations within the stipulated period.
According to the FCCPC, any disruption, suspension, or limitation of services experienced by consumers should be attributed to business or compliance decisions taken by the operators themselves, and not to any regulatory ban.
The Commission accused certain vested interests of spreading misinformation to undermine regulatory efforts aimed at ensuring fair competition and consumer protection.
It urged Nigerians to disregard false narratives, reaffirming its commitment to promoting transparency, protecting consumers, and fostering responsible innovation in the digital financial and telecommunications sectors.
