The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has commended the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) for restoring airtime credit services across major networks.

Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of ALTON, said this in a statement on Monday, describing the commission’s suspension of digital, electronic, online and non-traditional consumer lending regulations as a boost to regulatory certainty.

He said the decision had enabled the resumption of airtime and data credit services after weeks of disruption that affected about 40 million active subscribers nationwide.

According to him, Airtel Nigeria has fully restored airtime credit services, while Globacom has also resumed operations, providing relief to millions of prepaid customers.

Mr Adebayo described the FCCPC’s action as a critical step toward restoring confidence in Nigeria’s regulatory environment and strengthening investor confidence in the telecommunications sector.

“We commend the FCCPC for taking this decision in the interests of Nigerian consumers and the telecommunications industry,” Mr Adebayo said in the statement.

He said recognising the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) as the sector’s primary regulator was important for industry stability and effective governance of telecom products and services.

Mr Adebayo noted that the disruption highlighted the extent to which airtime credit had become embedded in the daily economic activities of millions of Nigerians.

According to him, the episode demonstrates that airtime credit should not be viewed solely as a financial product as initially characterised by regulators.

He described airtime credit as economic infrastructure relied upon by millions of Nigerians, particularly those within the lower-income segment of the population.

Mr Adebayo said the temporary suspension of the service had consequences that extended beyond telecommunications, affecting communication, commerce, and access to essential services.

He recalled that the airtime credit market, valued at between N300 billion and N400 billion annually, was effectively frozen in early April.

According to him, operators suspended the services after an FCCPC directive classified airtime credit as consumer lending under regulations targeting digital lending applications.

The ALTON chairman noted that the classification triggered a jurisdictional dispute between the FCCPC and the Nigerian Communications Commission over regulatory authority.

He said subsequent court orders issued in Lagos and Abuja restrained aspects of the enforcement process and eventually paved the way for service restoration.

Mr Adebayo observed that Airtel’s prompt restoration of the service reflected confidence in the legal and commercial environment following regulatory clarification.

He added that Globacom followed shortly afterwards, while MTN Nigeria had yet to restore its airtime credit service at the time of reporting.

According to him, industry sources indicate that there are no regulatory or legal impediments preventing the remaining operators from restoring the service.

“The regulatory environment is now clear, and we are confident that full restoration is imminent,” Mr Adebayo said.

He expressed optimism that all operators would restore services swiftly, noting that subscribers deserved urgent action following the prolonged disruption.

Looking ahead, Mr Adebayo called for stronger collaboration between the FCCPC and the NCC to prevent similar regulatory conflicts.

He said both agencies should establish formal coordination mechanisms to address issues arising at the intersection of telecommunications and financial services.

“The FCCPC’s consumer protection mandate and the Nigerian Communications Commission’s telecom regulatory mandate can coexist without either displacing the other,” he said. 

(NAN)