MTN Nigeria has temporarily suspended its airtime and data borrowing services to comply with the newly introduced FCCPC Digital Lending Regulations of 2025, which require a specialized licensing framework for non-traditional credit providers.
MTN Nigeria has officially attributed the sudden suspension of its popular airtime and data borrowing services to a new regulatory landscape established by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC). The company’s secretary, Uto Ukpanah, disclosed the development on Thursday, April 16, 2026, during a session at the Nigerian Exchange Limited. According to the telecommunications giant, the pause is a direct consequence of the “Digital, Electronic, Online, or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations 2025,” which requires all entities providing non-traditional credit to adhere to a revised compliance and licensing framework.
The new regulations, which the FCCPC rolled out last year, represent an evolution of the interim guidelines first introduced in 2022 to sanitize the digital lending space. Under this framework, telecom operators providing airtime credit services are now classified alongside digital lenders and are required to register and obtain specific clearance from the commission. “This relates to the implementation of processes under the Digital, Electronic, Online, or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations, 2025, which introduced a new compliance and licensing framework for entities providing digital or non-traditional consumer credit services,” the company stated in its official filing.
Despite the disruption to a service utilized by millions of subscribers, MTN assured both customers and investors that the suspension would not significantly affect its financial health. The firm noted that alternative digital channels for purchasing airtime and data remain fully operational and encouraged users to utilize those platforms in the interim. “Given the scale within the revenue mix, we do not expect the temporary suspension to have a material impact,” the company added. The move signals a broader shift in Nigeria’s regulatory environment as the government seeks more stringent oversight of all forms of consumer credit.
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