No ban on airtime, data credit — FCCPC

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has clarified that it has not banned airtime or data borrowing services in Nigeria. 

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This statement follows the recent suspension of the “Xtratime” service by MTN Nigeria, which the telecom provider attributed to the Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional (DEON) consumer lending regulations of 2025.

The FCCPC introduced these regulations in July 2025 to create a framework for transparency and ethical loan recovery, specifically targeting consumer complaints regarding hidden charges and aggressive collection methods. 

While the commission set a final compliance deadline for January 5, 2026, it maintains that any current service disruptions are the result of individual business decisions by operators who failed to regularize their operations within the provided timeline.

According to the commission, the primary goal of the DEON regulations is to foster a fairer market by mandating data protection safeguards and clear fee disclosures. 

“The commission has not prohibited airtime borrowing or data advance services, and no directive was issued preventing consumers from accessing lawful telecom value-added services,” the statement reads.

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FCCPC said its intervention in the sector followed complaints from consumers over opaque charges, unexplained deductions, aggressive recovery practices, and poor disclosure standards.

According to the commission, the issues prompted the introduction of the Digital Economy and Online Lending (DEON) consumer lending regulations in July 2025 to address abuses in the market.

“The regulations were introduced to curb the excesses of abusive service providers whose practices had generated persistent consumer harm and undermined confidence in the market,” the FCCPC said.

 

“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.”