Social Media Users Hail Airtel As MTN Delays Return of Airtime Lending
- Airtel and Glo have restored airtime lending services after the FCCPC suspended enforcement of its consumer lending regulation
- Telecom operators say full restoration across all networks is imminent, with about 40 million Nigerians relying on airtime and data credit services
- MTN Nigeria is yet to restore its XtraTime service, prompting subscribers to compare operators and praise networks that have already resumed airtime advances
Legit.ng journalist Dave Ibemere has over a decade of experience in business journalism, with in-depth knowledge of the Nigerian economy, stocks, and general market trends.
As industry stakeholders express confidence that airtime lending services will soon return fully across Nigeria's telecommunications sector, some subscribers are already drawing comparisons between operators that have restored the service and those yet to do so.
The sentiment surfaced on social media following a Guardian Nigeria report on the continued absence of MTN Nigeria's XtraTime service.
Source: UGC
Reacting to the development, one Facebook user, Frank Rock, simply declared:
"Airtel best"
While another commenter, IB Bernard, wrote:
"I loan 5k for Airtel now."
FCCPC suspends DEON
The reactions come after Airtel and Globacom restored their airtime credit services following the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission's (FCCPC) decision to suspend the implementation and enforcement of its Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations (DEON) 2025.
The FCCPC said the suspension complied with a Federal High Court order restraining enforcement of the regulations.
The development was welcomed by the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), whose Chairman, Gbenga Adebayo, described the move as an important step toward restoring normalcy to a service relied upon by millions of Nigerians.
Adebayo said:
"The regulatory environment is now clear, and we are confident that full restoration is imminent."
"The courts have spoken, the FCCPC has acted responsibly, and two of the four major operators have already restored services. There is no ambiguity left, and we expect every operator to act with the urgency their subscribers deserve."
Industry estimates indicate that about 40 million Nigerians regularly depend on airtime and data credit services, particularly prepaid and low-income subscribers.
Source: Getty Images
Nigerians await MTN
Attention has consequently shifted to MTN Nigeria, the country's largest telecom operator, which is yet to restore XtraTime despite the return of similar services on competing networks.
MTN has maintained that it requires further legal clarity before resuming the offering. Speaking during the company's earnings call, MTN Nigeria's Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer, Tobechukwu Okigbo, said the company would need either a court ruling setting aside the regulations or a clear directive instructing operators to reinstate the service.
Okigbo said:
"In terms of what needs to happen for us to resume airtime advance service, there are essentially two conditions."
While industry players remain optimistic that a full restoration across all networks is near, reactions from subscribers suggest that the return of airtime lending services by rival operators is already shaping customer perceptions, with some openly applauding networks that have moved first to restore access.
Source: Legit.ng
