Telecoms Subscribers Kick Over FCCPC’s New Airtime Borrowing Regulation

Nigerian telecoms subscribers have protested against the action of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) on airtime borrowing ban of *303# short code.

The service, offered by major telecom operators, has been unavailable for several days, triggering widespread complaints on social media platforms, where users described the disruption as a major setback, particularly for low-income earners who rely on the facility for emergency communication needs.

It was gathered that the suspension of the service was not a unilateral decision by telecom providers but rather a response to regulatory directives issued by the FCCPC.

A letter dated April 2, 2026, addressed to one of the telecom operators, directed an immediate cessation of services related to the Digital, Electronic, Online, or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations (DEON) 2025, citing non-compliance with provisions requiring engagement only with FCCPC-approved service providers.

The Commission warned that failure to comply would attract enforcement actions, including penalties under existing laws, and mandated operators to provide written assurances of compliance by mid-April.

A banker in Lagos, Segun Olabode, said the borrowing plan was as effective as anyone can think even as it relieve him of stress.

Olabode noted that the service helped him to put his money on other things while he can quickly borrow airtime from a Telecom operator.

He stated that placing a ban on it will further impoverish average Nigerians who can easily type the code and get the airtime on demand.

“The effectiveness of the borrowing plan is indescribable and relieving. To think of stopping it is more than suicidal.

“For me, I borrow airtime so I can put my money on other things that needs pressing attention.

“Placing a ban on what should serve as a relief material will further impoverish Nigerians,” Olabode added.

A trader in Port Harcourt, Alice Obiateru, urged FCCPC to allow the operators to continue with such service.

She recalled not being able to activate the code due to the disconnection by the operators, describing it as a life saver strangled.

A Bureau De Change Operator in Abuja, Nasiru Mohammed, said communication is an integral part of any business, imagining buying airtime from one’s bank without receiving it when needed.

Nasiru described such situation as frustrating even as he called the Commission to allow the operators to go on with their plan.

He noted that Nigerians were not complaining about the plan, hence, there should be no reason for the unnecessary intervention.

“Why are you in business if you cannot communicate when you are supposed to? I have been in a situation where I bought airtime from a bank but could not get it due to network issues and I needed to attend to something. If not for the borrowing plan, I would have lost a huge amount to money that day.

“I want to use this opportunity to call on the necessary authorities to allow the operators to continue this laudable plan as it gives us a peace of mind.”

In a chat with some stakeholders in the industry, they called for urgent regulatory clarity and a coordinated approach among government agencies to prevent further disruption, as pressure mounts on authorities to restore the service and address consumer concerns.

Consequently, The Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria (WASPAN) secured an interim injunction against the FCCPC at the Federal High Court in Lagos.

LEADERSHIP reports that in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/760/2026, Justice A. Lewis-Allagoa restrained the Commission from enforcing the DEON Consumer Lending Regulations pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

The court order barred the FCCPC, its agents, or representatives from implementing or giving effect to the new regulations until the case is resolved.

Despite the court’s intervention, the airtime borrowing services remained suspended as of press time, leaving millions of subscribers uncertain about when normal service will resume.