No ban on airtime, data loans, FCCPC clarifies

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has dismissed widespread claims that it banned airtime borrowing and data advance services in Nigeria, describing the reports as false and misleading.

In a statement addressing what it called a wave of misinformation, the Commission said its attention had been drawn to “a series of newspaper publication and a viral anonymous post in the social media seeking to create the impression that the Commission cancelled, shut down, or banned airtime borrowing and data advance services in Nigeria.”

It stated unequivocally that “those claims are incorrect,” stressing that “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 clarification comes amid growing public concern over alleged service disruptions and rising complaints in the telecom sector.

The FCCPC explained that its intervention in the space followed numerous consumer complaints involving opaque charges, unexplained deductions, aggressive recovery practices, poor disclosure standards, and inadequate accountability within segments of the digital lending and advance-services market.

To address these issues, the Commission introduced the DEON Consumer Lending Regulations in July 2025, aimed at curbing “the excesses of abusive service providers whose practices had generated persistent consumer harm and undermined confidence in the market.”

According to the Commission, the regulations are designed to ensure “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.”

The FCCPC also revealed that some telecom operators had engaged in practices that violated existing laws.

“In the telecom sector, our findings indicated that some operators engaged in exclusionary third-party technical arrangements in clear disobedience to the provisions” of relevant legislation, it said in post on X.

It added that such measures were necessary to open up the market, promote fair competition, and protect consumers from exploitative practices.

The Commission further alleged that misinformation around the issue was being driven by vested interests.

“We are aware that some vested interests and their foreign collaborators are opposed to the creation of safe markets and fair competition, therefore resorting to a campaign of disinformation,” the statement

said.

Providing a timeline, the FCCPC noted that operators were initially given a 90-day compliance window starting July 2025 to align with the new framework, which was later extended to January 5, 2026.

However, it said many failed to comply within the stipulated period.

“Notwithstanding clear regulatory requirements, some operators chose to maintain the status quo by failing to register and regularise their services,” the Commission stated, adding that such operators continued practices that had long triggered consumer complaints.

“Any temporary suspension, restriction, or operational change introduced by service providers should therefore be understood as a business or compliance decision by those operators, not a ban imposed by the FCCPC,” it said.

Describing attempts to blame the regulator as “mischievous,” the Commission insisted that “it is inaccurate to attribute avoidable disruption to regulation where regulated entities had adequate notice and sufficient opportunity to comply.”

It urged Nigerians to ignore false narratives, noting that “Nigerians deserve accurate information, not sensational claims,” and advised consumers to disregard misleading reports regarding airtime borrowing and data advance services.

Vanguard News

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