FCCPC Suspends 2025 Digital Lending Rules After Court Order, Legal Fight Looms
By Aboki Forex —
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has suspended enforcement of its controversial 2025 digital lending regulations. The move follows an ex parte order from the Federal High Court in Lagos. Justice A.L. Allagoa granted the order, which restrains the commission from implementing the Digital, Electronic Online or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations 2025 (DEON Regulations) for 14 days.
Millions of Nigerian mobile subscribers could now regain access to airtime and data lending services. Telecom operators and value-added service providers had warned that the rules would disrupt emergency borrowing options. The Wireless Application Service Providers’ Association of Nigeria (WASPAN) filed the lawsuit. WASPAN argued that the regulations would cripple companies offering airtime and data credit through telecom networks.
The FCCPC confirmed it received the court order. In a statement signed by its Director of Corporate Services, Ondaje Ijagwu, the commission said it suspended both implementation and enforcement of the DEON Regulations 2025. The statement read: “As a law-abiding institution, the Commission, in deference and in obedience to the rule of law, hereby suspends the implementation and the enforcement of the DEON Regulations 2025.”
But the commission is not backing down. It has instructed its legal team to challenge the competence of the suit and seek a reversal of the interim order. The legal battle will continue in court in the coming weeks.
The suspension offers temporary relief to telecom operators like MTN Nigeria and Airtel Nigeria. It also benefits millions of subscribers who rely on airtime and data borrowing during emergencies or financial strain. The future of these services now depends on the court’s final ruling on the legality of the FCCPC’s 2025 digital lending regulations.
Banks Step In as Telecoms Face Regulatory Pressure
Nigerian banks are moving into the airtime and data credit market. For years, services like MTN XtraTime and Airtel Extra Credit dominated the space. But recent regulatory changes and service suspensions have created an opening for banks. Financial institutions including GTBank, Access Bank, UBA, Zenith Bank, FirstBank, and FCMB now offer instant airtime and data loans through USSD platforms. They offer cheaper rates, easier repayment plans, and stronger consumer protection.