Two network providers restore emergency airtime lending services

Telecommunications users across Nigeria have regained access to emergency airtime credit after major operators restored lending platforms that were previously disrupted by regulatory and legal tensions surrounding new consumer credit rules in the digital space.

The return of the service follows the suspension of the Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending (DEON) Regulations 2025, which had been introduced by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to regulate airtime advances under a broader consumer protection framework.

Moreover, leading operators including Airtel Nigeria and Globacom (Glo) have quietly reactivated their airtime lending systems, restoring a service widely used by millions of subscribers for daily communication and micro-business transactions.

Industry stakeholders confirmed that the platforms are now fully operational, easing earlier disruptions that had sparked concern among users dependent on short-term airtime credit.

A statement attributed to the Chairman of the Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria, Ayo Stuffman, confirmed the development.

“As it stands, the airtime lending platforms have been fully restored on both Airtel and Glo networks,” he said.

The reinstatement has been welcomed by subscribers who rely heavily on emergency credit to sustain connectivity, particularly in low-income and informal economic segments where prepaid airtime remains essential.

However, the regulatory dispute that triggered the suspension is far from resolved, as the FCCPC maintains that digital airtime lending falls under consumer credit services requiring strict oversight.

The Commission had earlier argued that it received thousands of complaints linked to digital lending operations, raising concerns over data protection, transparency, and alleged exploitative charges within the system.

The intervention by the courts further complicated the regulatory direction after the Federal High Court in Lagos restrained the enforcement of the DEON framework, intensifying debate over jurisdictional authority in telecom financial services.

Industry association leaders, including the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), led by Gbenga Adebayo, have consistently warned that unclear regulatory boundaries could destabilise investment confidence in the sector.

“Regulatory clarity is essential to sustain innovation and investor trust in telecom value-added services,” Adebayo was quoted as saying.

Nevertheless, the FCCPC has signalled its intention to challenge the court ruling, insisting that its legal team will pursue an appeal to determine the validity of the regulatory framework.

For now, the restoration of airtime lending has brought temporary relief to subscribers, though uncertainty remains over the long-term governance of Nigeria’s fast-growing digital credit and telecom value-added services ecosystem.