Courts halt suspension of airtime credit services by telecoms
Millions of Nigerian telecom subscribers may soon regain access to airtime and data credit services after recent Federal High Court rulings. The courts in Abuja and Lagos issued interim orders preventing telecom operators and regulators from suspending or restricting these services. MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and Airtel Networks Limited were specifically restrained from interfering with the operations of Nairtime Nigeria Limited. The legal actions stem from disputes over new digital lending regulations.
TLDR
- The Federal High Court in Abuja, in a ruling delivered on April 24, 2026, restrained MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and Airtel Networks Limited from suspending services to Nairtime Nigeria Limited pending a substantive suit.
- The plaintiffs argued that the planned suspension was based on directives from the Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations 2025.
- The Federal High Court in Lagos, in a ruling delivered on April 15, 2026, also granted interim orders restraining the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission from enforcing the same regulations against the Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria.
- Airtime credit services were suspended in mid-April after operators cited compliance with the new regulatory framework introduced by the commission.
- The DEON Regulations were introduced in July 2025, with compliance deadlines extended twice before enforcement actions began in April.
