Telecoms: FCCPC clarifies misinformation about airtime, data advance services in Nigeria

*Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission dismisses misinformation in the public space, restating it has not prohibited airtime borrowing or data advance services, and no directive issued to prevent consumers from accessing lawful telecoms value-added services

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has said it is incorrect to assume the Commission directed discontinuation of telecoms consumers’ airtime borrowing or data advance services.

The Commission said it noted a series of newspaper publication and a viral anonymous post in the social media seeking to create the impression that it actually cancelled, shut down, or banned airtime borrowing and data advance services in Nigeria.

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Mr. Ondaje Ijagwu, Director of Corporate Affairs at FCCPC, who said this Friday, April 17, 2026, stated that “those claims are incorrect.”

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

The market regulatory Commission explained that following a deluge of consumer complaints bordering on opaque charges, unexplained deductions, aggressive recovery practices, poor disclosure standards, and inadequate accountability in segments of the digital lending and advance-services market, the FCCPC issued the DEON Consumer Lending Regulations July 2025.

It also said the regulations were introduced, among other reasons, to curb the excesses of abusive service providers whose practices had generated persistent consumer harm, and undermined confidence in the market.

The FCCPC reiterated the basic 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.

According to the Commission, in the telecoms sector, its findings indicated that some Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) had engaged in exclusionary third-party technical arrangements in clear disobedience to the provisions of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA), 2018.

The Commission also stated that the regulations sought to unlock the market to allow local participants alongside foreign partners, in line with free market principles.

Ijagwu explained: “These measures benefit Nigerians by reducing abusive practices, improving transparency, strengthening consumer choice, and encouraging responsible innovation by legitimate operators.

“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 FCCPC said operators then, were expected to structure their commercial relationships in a manner consistent with Nigerian law.

It also emphasised that commercial arrangements or outsourcing decisions do not displace competition and consumer protection obligations.

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The market regulator said at the commencement of the framework July 2025, affected network operators were granted an initial 90-day compliance period to regularise their products, structures, and operations.

It said, the Telcos, however, failed to take that opportunity within the prescribed regulatory timeframe, specifically in the telecoms sector of the economy.

The compliance window was subsequently extended until 5 January 2026, providing additional time for alignment with applicable requirements.

Despite that further extension, the necessary compliance steps were still not completed by the relevant operators.

Notwithstanding clear regulatory requirements, some operators chose to maintain the status quo by failing to register and regularise their services. In doing so, they continued operating monopolistic models that had long generated consumer complaints, including concerns relating to transparency, deductions, charges, and accountability.

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.

The Commission declared: “It is inaccurate to attribute avoidable disruption to regulation where regulated entities had adequate notice and sufficient opportunity to comply.

“Attempts to misrepresent temporary service inconvenience as the result of lawful consumer regulation are mischievous.”

The FCCPC said Nigerians deserve accurate information, not sensational claims.

It noted that consumers and members of the public are advised to disregard false and misleading narratives on this important issue.

The Commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs added: “The FCCPC is fully committed to protecting consumers, promoting fair competition, encouraging responsible innovation, ensuring transparent digital financial practices, and working constructively with sector regulators and service providers in the public interest.”

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