Millions of Nigerian telecom subscribers may soon regain access to airtime and data credit services following separate Federal High Court orders in Abuja and Lagos that have temporarily restrained enforcement actions linked to new digital lending regulations.
In Abuja, the Federal High Court on April 24, 2026, granted an interim order restraining MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and Airtel Networks Limited from suspending or interfering with services offered to Nairtime Nigeria Limited, pending the determination of a substantive case before the court.
The ruling followed an ex parte application filed by Nairtime Holdings Limited and Nairtime Nigeria Limited, which alleged that their operations were under threat due to regulatory directives tied to the Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations 2025.
The companies argued that any move to cut off access to telecom platforms such as USSD, SMS, short codes, and billing systems would amount to unlawful interference with their business and contractual rights, especially as they hold valid licences issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission.
The court ordered that telecom operators maintain the status quo and not disrupt services, stressing that contractual processes and dispute resolution mechanisms must be respected while the matter is still before it.
A similar development played out in Lagos, where the Federal High Court, on April 15, 2026, restrained the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission from enforcing parts of the same regulations against members of the Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria.
Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa ruled that the commission should not take steps that would enforce, implement, or apply key provisions of the regulations, or interfere with service providers’ operations, pending hearing of an interlocutory application.
The court also barred any action that could prevent service providers from continuing their operations under the disputed regulatory framework.
The dispute follows the suspension of airtime credit services such as MTN’s XtraTime and Airtel’s data advance offerings in mid-April, after telecom operators cited compliance concerns with the new rules. The sudden suspension affected millions of prepaid users who rely on such services for short-term connectivity.
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The FCCPC had earlier introduced the DEON Regulations in 2025 to bring digital and non-traditional lending services under a formal licensing framework. However, implementation has faced pushback from industry operators who argue that telecom-based credit services fall under the jurisdiction of the Nigerian Communications Commission.
The regulatory disagreement has sparked wider debate within the telecom and fintech ecosystem, especially given estimates that airtime lending services generate hundreds of billions of naira annually and serve as an informal credit lifeline for many Nigerians.
While the FCCPC insists it did not ban the services, operators and industry groups say the regulatory uncertainty forced the suspension.
Both cases have now been adjourned for further hearing, as stakeholders await a clearer legal and regulatory direction on the future of airtime credit services in the country.
