Nigeria's FCCPC Airtime Lending Enforcement Risks Disruption for 40 Million Users

The Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria (WASPAN) warned that roughly 40 million low‑income Nigerians who rely on airtime‑lending services could face a sudden disruption if the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) resumes full enforcement of the Digital, Electronic, Online or Non‑Traditional Consumer Lending (DEON) Regulations pending an appeal.

WASPAN Chairman Ayo Stuffman filed an affidavit seeking an injunction, arguing that the FCCPC’s enforcement would expose operators to penalties, increase regulatory uncertainty and jeopardise services for millions of subscribers. He stated, “I know for a fact that unless restrained by the orders of this court, the defendant will proceed to enforce the said regulations against members of the plaintiff.”

The appeal follows a 20 July 2026 Federal High Court judgment in Lagos that upheld the FCCPC’s authority to issue and enforce the DEON regulations, a decision contested by the association over whether regulatory power belongs exclusively to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) under the 2003 Communications Act. The sector, estimated at ₦300‑400 billion annually, serves traders, artisans and other informal‑economy participants, making the outcome critical for a large portion of Nigeria’s population.