By Ejire Folakunmi
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has debunked claims that it banned airtime borrowing or data advance services, describing such reports as a campaign of disinformation by “vested interests.”
In a statement signed by the Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, the Commission clarified that no directive was issued to prevent consumers from accessing lawful telecom value-added services. Instead, the Commission emphasized that current market disruptions are the result of operators failing to comply with the DEON Consumer Lending Regulations introduced in July 2025.
The regulations were launched to address a “deluge” of complaints regarding opaque charges, unexplained deductions, and aggressive recovery practices. The FCCPC noted that some telecom operators have maintained “exclusionary third-party arrangements” that violate the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act of 2018.
Despite a 90-day grace period and a further extension to January 5, 2026, the Commission stated that relevant operators failed to regularise their services. The FCCPC maintained that any temporary suspension or operational change is a business decision made by providers to handle their own compliance failures, rather than a ban imposed by the regulator.
“Attempts to misrepresent temporary service inconvenience as the result of lawful consumer regulation are mischievous,” the statement read. The Commission urged Nigerians to disregard the misleading narratives and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting consumers from abusive market practices.