- Court Stops MTN, Airtel From Suspending Airtime, Data Credit Services
- Dispute linked to new digital lending regulations introduced in 2025
- Millions of users affected as airtime borrowing services face uncertainty
A Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained telecommunications companies from suspending airtime and data credit services amid an ongoing dispute over new lending regulations.
The order, issued on April 24, 2026, followed a suit filed by Nairtime Holdings Limited and Nairtime Nigeria Limited against MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and Airtel Networks Limited.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the telecom operators had planned to restrict the lending firm’s access to key platforms, including USSD, SMS, short codes and billing systems.
The plaintiffs argued that the move would disrupt their operations and violate existing contractual agreements. They also told the court that their services operate under valid licences issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission and that no prior notice of any breach was given.
After reviewing the application, the court ordered the telecom firms not to suspend or interfere with the company’s access to their systems pending the determination of the case.
The court further stressed that parties must adhere to agreed contractual terms, including notice periods and dispute resolution procedures, rather than taking unilateral action based on new regulatory directives.
The dispute is linked to the Digital, Electronic, Online or Non Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations introduced in 2025, which expanded oversight of digital lending services, including airtime credit facilities.
Telecom operators had responded by suspending some of these services in April, affecting millions of users.
In a related development, a Federal High Court in Lagos had earlier issued a similar order on April 15, 2026, restraining the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission from enforcing parts of the same regulations against the Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria.
The Lagos court also barred any actions that could disrupt service providers or impose sanctions pending the hearing of the case.
The suspension of airtime credit services, including MTN’s XtraTime and Airtel’s data borrowing options, had affected many prepaid subscribers who rely on such services to stay connected.
