The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has denied reports claiming it banned airtime borrowing and data advance services in Nigeria, describing such claims as false and misleading.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Commission said it had not cancelled, shut down, or prohibited airtime borrowing or data advance services, stressing that no directive was issued to stop consumers from accessing lawful telecom value-added services.
The FCCPC said the clarification became necessary following newspaper reports and viral anonymous social media posts alleging that the Commission was responsible for disruptions in the services.
According to the agency, the claims misrepresented the intent of its Digital Economy and Online Consumer (DEON) Consumer Lending Regulations introduced in July 2025.
The Commission explained that the regulations were designed to address rising consumer complaints over opaque charges, unexplained deductions, aggressive debt recovery methods, poor disclosure standards, and lack of accountability in segments of the digital lending and advance-services market.
It said the rules were aimed at creating a fairer and more transparent system by requiring proper registration, responsible lending practices, clear disclosure of fees and terms, accessible complaint channels, data protection safeguards, and stronger oversight of third-party partners.
The FCCPC further disclosed that some telecom operators had engaged in exclusionary third-party technical arrangements contrary to provisions of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018.
It noted that operators were initially given a 90-day compliance window beginning in July 2025 to regularise their products and operations, which was later extended until January 5, 2026.
However, the Commission said some affected operators failed to utilise both deadlines and continued operating models that generated consumer complaints relating to deductions, charges, transparency, and accountability.
“Any temporary suspension, restriction, or operational change introduced by service providers should therefore be understood as a business or compliance decision by those operators, not a ban imposed by the FCCPC,” the statement said.
The agency accused unnamed vested interests and foreign collaborators of sponsoring a misinformation campaign to frustrate efforts aimed at promoting safe markets and fair competition.
It urged Nigerians to disregard false narratives on the matter, reaffirming its commitment to protecting consumers, promoting fair competition, encouraging responsible innovation, and ensuring transparent digital financial practices.