The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has moved to debunk viral social media reports and widespread confusion by clarifying that it has not banned airtime borrowing or data advance services in Nigeria.
Describing these reports as false and misleading, the Commission issued a statement on Friday via its official X handle to confirm that no directive has been issued to prohibit consumers from accessing lawful telecom value-added services.
It emphasized that airtime borrowing and data advance services remain fully available to the public, and any claims suggesting a regulatory ban are entirely inaccurate.
According to the Commission, the current misunderstanding stems from regulatory measures introduced in July 2025 under the DEON Consumer Lending Regulations.
The FCCPC stated 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.”
This framework was established following a surge in consumer complaints regarding opaque charges, unexplained deductions, aggressive recovery practices, and a general lack of transparency and accountability in the digital lending and advance-services market.
Rather than imposing a ban, the regulations were designed to foster a fairer and more transparent environment by requiring operators to register properly, disclose all fees and terms clearly, and adopt responsible lending practices.
The Commission noted that these measures aim to strengthen consumer protection, improve service quality, and boost overall market confidence.
Furthermore, the FCCPC revealed that some telecom operators had engaged in exclusionary third-party arrangements that violated the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018, thereby limiting competition.
The new rules are intended to open the market to both local and international participants in line with free-market principles.
The primary objective of this oversight 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.”
Operators were initially given a 90-day grace period to comply, which was later extended to January 5, 2026. Despite this extension, some providers failed to align their services with the new framework and continued to use operating models that had long been the subject of consumer grievances.
The FCCPC clarified that any temporary suspension or restriction of these services should be viewed as a business or compliance decision made by the individual operators, rather than a ban imposed by the regulator.
It added that attributing such service disruptions to regulatory action is misleading, especially since operators were given ample time to comply with the new standards.
Finally, the Commission warned against deliberate attempts by vested interests to spread disinformation and urged Nigerians to rely on accurate information regarding the status of their telecom services.
