A number one community supplier, Airtel Nigeria has introduced the non permanent suspension of its airtime and information credit score providers, changing into the second main telecom operator within the nation to halt such choices following new regulatory necessities for digital lending.
In an announcement issued on Friday and signed by its Director of Company Communications and CSR, Femi Adesina, the corporate stated the affected providers beforehand enabled eligible pay as you go subscribers to borrow airtime or information and repay on their subsequent recharge.
The event comes barely 24 hours after MTN Nigeria Communications Plc introduced an identical suspension of its Xtratime service, citing compliance with the Digital, Digital, On-line or Non-Conventional Shopper Lending Rules, 2025.
The brand new laws introduce a complete licensing and compliance framework for suppliers of digital or various shopper credit score providers in Nigeria—classes that now embrace airtime and information advance choices by telecom operators.
Airtel Nigeria famous that regardless of the suspension, clients would proceed to take pleasure in uninterrupted entry to airtime and information purchases by means of its present channels. The corporate added that the transfer will not be anticipated to materially affect service supply.
Commenting on the choice, Airtel Nigeria’s Director of Advertising and marketing, Ismail Adeshina, stated the motion was mandatory to make sure regulatory compliance.
“This can be a mandatory and accountable step as we align our operations with evolving necessities. Airtel Nigeria stays dedicated to the best requirements of compliance, transparency, and shopper safety, whereas persevering with to innovate responsibly inside Nigeria’s digital ecosystem,” he stated.
Earlier, MTN Nigeria had knowledgeable buyers that the suspension of its Xtratime service utilized by subscribers to borrow airtime or information wouldn’t considerably have an effect on its earnings as a result of service’s comparatively small contribution to total income.
Business analysts say the parallel actions by Airtel and MTN sign a broader sector-wide adjustment to the brand new guidelines, that are anticipated to tighten oversight of digital credit score merchandise and improve shopper safety.
The laws, launched by the Federal Competitors and Shopper Safety Fee, construct on earlier tips for digital lending issued in 2022. Below the brand new framework, all digital lenders together with telecom operators providing airtime and information advances are required to register with the Fee.
This brings main telecom gamers reminiscent of Airtel, MTN, Globacom, and 9mobile below a unified regulatory regime for digital lending providers.
Operators granted provisional approval below transitional preparations have been given till April 2026 to finish their registration. Based on the FCCPC, failure to conform throughout the stipulated interval might appeal to regulatory sanctions.
The Fee had earlier set October 31, 2025, because the preliminary deadline for registration, with a N100 million penalty for defaulters. Nonetheless, the deadline was later prolonged to January 5, 2026, to permit extra operators to conform.
The non permanent suspension of airtime and information credit score providers is seen as a precautionary step by telecom operators to keep away from sanctions whereas finalising compliance with the brand new regulatory necessities.