FCCPC Expands Airtime Credit Licences to Nine Firms Despite Court Order Halting DEON Rules
By Aboki Forex —
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has approved four new companies to offer airtime and data credit services, bringing the total number of licensed operators under the DEON Consumer Lending Regulations 2025 from five to nine. The expansion comes while a Federal High Court order restraining enforcement of the same framework remains in place.
Newly Approved Operators
The four new firms are Technotrends Platforms Nigeria Limited, Fonyou Technologies Nigeria Limited, MRS Innovation Nigeria Limited, and ERL Telecoms Service Limited. They join the five companies initially licensed on April 22, 2026: Total Tim Nigeria Limited, Rane Interactive Medien CLS Limited, Mode NG Applications Limited, Cloud Interactive Associate Limited, and Coverage Broadband Limited.
Court Order Still Active
On April 15, 2026, Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court in Lagos granted an interim injunction stopping the FCCPC from enforcing the DEON regulations against members of the Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria (WASPA). The case is Suit No. FHC/L/CS/760/2026. The FCCPC tried to overturn the order on April 28, but the court refused. Committal proceedings were filed on May 18 against the FCCPC’s Executive Vice Chairman for alleged contempt. On May 22, the Commission announced a suspension of DEON enforcement to comply with the court.
Industry Reactions
Despite the suspension, the FCCPC approved the four new operators under the same DEON framework. Industry stakeholders are questioning how new licences can be issued when the regulations are both suspended and under a court injunction. Analysts say this creates uncertainty for operators, telecom subscribers, and fintech investors.
Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), welcomed the suspension but called for better regulatory coordination. He noted that about 40 million Nigerians rely on airtime credit for daily communication and internet access.
What Next?
After the suspension, Airtel Nigeria and Globacom restored their airtime lending services. MTN Nigeria is also preparing to bring back its Xtratime service. Attention now turns to whether the FCCPC will issue more approvals or wait for the court to clarify the legal status of the DEON framework.