As the legal dispute over the regulation of digital lending services continues, key stakeholders in Nigeria’s telecommunications and digital finance sectors have renewed calls for greater policy coordination, warning that regulatory uncertainty could undermine investment, disrupt innovation and affect millions of consumers who rely on Airtime Credit Services.

The calls come amid continuing debate over the implementation of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission’s (FCCPC) Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending (DEON) Regulations and the pending appeal filed by the Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria (WASPAN), with operators insisting that closer collaboration between the FCCPC and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is essential to provide clarity for businesses and consumers.

Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, said the industry expects both regulators to establish a framework that clearly defines how their respective mandates will operate in practice.

“The court has done something important. It has confirmed the FCCPC’s authority and, in the same breath, affirmed that the NCC’s role is preserved. Concurrency means coexistence. 

The industry now expects both regulators to establish the coordination framework that the court’s reasoning requires,” Adebayo said.

He added: “Forty million Nigerians depend on these services. The court has made clear that both regulators have a role. The industry is asking them to define how that works before any action that could disrupt access again.”

The disagreement over the application of the DEON Regulations to Airtime Credit Services earlier this year temporarily disrupted airtime and data credit services used by millions of prepaid subscribers before the services resumed following legal developments.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, has maintained that Airtime Credit Services are telecommunications value-added services regulated under the Nigerian Communications Act.

“Airtime credit falls under telecom value-added services governed by the Communications Act, and not consumer lending,” Maida said during an NCC briefing.

The FCCPC, however, said the DEON Regulations were introduced to tackle abusive practices in Nigeria’s digital lending market and strengthen consumer protection.

“For too long, Nigerians have endured harassment, data breaches, and unethical practices by unregulated digital lenders. These regulations draw a clear line that innovation is welcome, but not at the expense of the rights and dignity of consumers, or the rule of law,” the Commission stated.

The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, speaking on the broader need for policy alignment across the digital economy also stressed the importance of regulatory collaboration, saying policy coordination is vital to preserving legal certainty and sustaining Nigeria’s digital economy.

“Regulatory coordination is not only essential to preserving legal certainty but is also fundamental to promoting investment, innovation, consumer confidence and Nigeria’s long-term competitiveness as Africa’s leading digital economy,” Tijani said.

He further directed that the existing regulatory framework should remain in place while cross-cutting digital economy issues are being harmonised under the ministry’s coordination.

Among the technology companies supporting the ecosystem is Nairtime Nigeria Limited, which provides the technology platform that enables Airtime Credit Services offered by mobile network operators. The company also supports other digital financial solutions through automated credit assessment and repayment technology, contributing to broader financial inclusion efforts.

Chief Executive Officer of Nairtime Nigeria Limited and Chief Commercial Officer of Optasia, Uchenna Agbo, said Airtime Credit Services had become indispensable to millions of Nigerians.

“Airtime Credit Services are a lifeline for millions of Nigerian consumers who rely on them for daily connectivity. The widespread adoption of airtime credit reflects its importance to millions of consumers,” she said.

Agbo added: “Fair financial access is at the heart of our business, and we are committed to working constructively with regulators and our partners as the legal process unfolds to promote a fair, transparent and inclusive digital ecosystem that benefits Nigeria and all Nigerians.”

With WASPAN’s appeal now before the Court of Appeal and the digital lending ecosystem continuing to evolve, stakeholders say sustained engagement among regulators and industry participants will be crucial to providing policy certainty, protecting consumers and supporting innovation in Nigeria’s fast-growing digital economy.