FCCPC, NCC Urged to Resolve Airtime Credit Dispute Affecting MTN, Airtel Users
- FCCPC and NCC have been urged to resolve regulatory disputes affecting the airtime credit market
- Federal High Courts issued interim injunctions protecting licensed VAS providers from interference
- The uncertainty is affecting businesses, consumers, and investor confidence in the telecom sector
Oluwatobi Odeyinka is a business editor at Legit.ng, covering energy, the money market, technology and macroeconomic trends in Nigeria.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) have been called upon to address ongoing regulatory disagreements affecting Nigeria’s airtime credit market, Daily Trust reported.
The appeal follows interim injunctions issued by Federal High Courts in Lagos and Abuja, which restrained interference in the operations of licensed Value Added Service (VAS) providers, including Nairtime Nigeria Limited and members of the Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria (WASPA).
Source: UGC
Dispute linked to overlapping regulatory roles
Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, attributed the situation to competing jurisdictional claims between the FCCPC and the NCC.
According to him, the airtime credit market is estimated to be worth between N300 billion and N400 billion annually, underscoring its importance within Nigeria’s telecom ecosystem.
Adebayo maintained that the NCC has the statutory mandate to regulate the telecommunications sector under the Nigerian Communications Act.
He called for urgent intervention from relevant stakeholders, including regulators, telecom operators, and the federal government, to restore clarity and stability.
Court orders, uncertainty raise concerns
Adebayo said the situation goes beyond a regulatory disagreement, describing it as a test of the country’s business environment.
He noted that despite court orders and valid licences held by operators, the ongoing uncertainty continues to affect businesses and consumers.
The ALTON chairman added that the association had earlier communicated its concerns to the NCC in August 2025, warning that FCCPC regulations appeared to conflict with an existing Memorandum of Understanding between both agencies.
According to him, the lack of alignment has contributed to the legal and commercial uncertainty currently affecting the market.
Impact on small businesses
Adebayo emphasised that the implications extend beyond telecom operators, noting that airtime credit serves as an informal credit system for millions of Nigerians.
He explained that traders, artisans, and small-scale entrepreneurs often rely on short-term airtime advances to sustain daily economic activities, particularly in the absence of accessible formal credit.
He added that service disruptions are felt immediately by users who depend on it for financial flexibility.
Source: Getty Images
Investor confidence at stake
Adebayo further warned that regulatory uncertainty could affect Nigeria’s ability to attract investment into digital infrastructure.
He noted that investors often assess how disputes are managed when making long-term decisions, adding that unclear regulatory boundaries may discourage capital inflows into the sector.
NCC moves to curb phone number-linked fraud
Legit.ng earlier reported that the NCC has introduced a new Telecoms Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS) to tackle fraud associated with mobile numbers and improve digital security across sectors.
According to the commission, the platform is designed to help regulators and service providers better monitor risks tied to SIM cards, especially as mobile numbers increasingly serve as key identifiers for financial transactions and digital services.
The regulator noted that mobile numbers, technically known as MSISDNs, are now central to digital authentication, financial transactions, and access to essential services.
Source: Legit.ng
