40 million Nigerians lost airtime borrowing access during FCCPC dispute, N300 billion market at risk

About 40 million Nigerians temporarily lost access to airtime and data borrowing services during a regulatory dispute between the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and telecom operators. Industry stakeholders warned that the disruption threatened a market worth between N300 billion and N400 billion annually.

Subscribers caught off guard

When Farouk Rabiu ran out of data and urgently needed to access his bank account, he turned to a service millions of Nigerians rely on during emergencies: airtime borrowing. However, the option was unavailable.

Rabiu said: “The first time I realised I could no longer borrow credit on Glo and MTN came as a big surprise. I was devastated because, after exhausting my data, I was hoping to borrow credit to access my bank account. Instead, it was a major disappointment.”

For Rabiu, it was a personal inconvenience. For industry stakeholders, it highlighted a much bigger problem. The disruption left an estimated 40 million subscribers without access to emergency airtime and data advances relied upon daily by low-income and prepaid users across Nigeria.

Although Rabiu admitted that the charges associated with airtime borrowing can be burdensome, he insisted the service remains indispensable. A Lagos-based employee also said: “They do save you from some unnecessary embarrassment. I missed having that option.”

Industry warns of economic damage

The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) warned that the disruption affected a service that has become critical economic infrastructure for millions of Nigerians. ALTON chairman Gbenga Adebayo said: “What this episode demonstrated is that airtime credit is not a financial product in the way regulators initially characterised it. It is economic infrastructure that approximately 40 million people use regularly, with the vast majority of them at the base of the economy.”

ALTON also warned that the dispute threatened a market worth between N300 billion and N400 billion annually and risked undermining consumer welfare, investor confidence and regulatory stability.

The Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria (WASPAN), which challenged aspects of the FCCPC regulations in court, said its action was aimed at protecting licensed Nigerian operators and millions of subscribers who depend on airtime and data borrowing services for communication, emergencies and business activities. WASPAN argued that airtime advances have become an essential support mechanism for traders, artisans, small business owners and other Nigerians who often lack access to conventional credit facilities.

Regulator backs down for now

The FCCPC maintained that its intervention was driven by consumer protection concerns. The commission classified airtime and data advances as a form of consumer lending under its Digital, Electronic, Online or Non Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations, arguing that stronger oversight was necessary to improve transparency and accountability in the digital credit market.

Following court orders and industry backlash, the commission suspended enforcement of the regulations pending the determination of the substantive suit. FCCPC director of corporate affairs Ondaje Ijagwu said the commission decided in obedience to the rule of law while continuing to pursue its legal arguments in court.

For millions of Nigerians like Rabiu, however, the legal and regulatory arguments are secondary. What matters is access to a service that often makes the difference between staying connected and being cut off from work opportunities, financial services, family communication and emergency support.

As regulators, operators and service providers continue their battle over jurisdiction and consumer protection, subscribers hope the eventual outcome will preserve access to a service many now regard as an essential safety net in an increasingly difficult economy.