A Federal High Court order has ensured continued access to airtime and data credit services for millions of Nigerians, particularly those without access to traditional banking systems.

Nairtime Nigeria Ltd, a subsidiary of global AI-powered financial infrastructure group Optasia, made this known in a statement on Thursday.

Nairtime confirmed that the Federal High, Abuja Judicial Division, granted an interim injunction on April 24, 2026, restraining MTN Nigeria Communications PLC and Airtel from suspending or interfering with its access to critical telecommunications platforms.

The company said the order, issued in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/779/2026, prevented any disruption to essential infrastructure such as short codes, SMS, USSD, and billing services following a directive issued by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).

It said that the FCCPC’s directive had left many Nigerians without a safety net.

The company said the ruling ensured that millions of Nigerian consumers, particularly those without access to traditional banking, could continue to access airtime and data on credit.

It added that accessing the services had become increasingly vital for daily communication, work, education and digital participation.

It added that the court’s intervention provided policy certainty and helped preserve continuity for users who depended on these services.

The company noted that many users depend on the services, not just for connectivity, but also as a gateway to financial inclusion and digital identity in an increasingly connected economy.

According to the statement, the decision also reinforces the legitimacy of Nairtime’s operations conducted under a valid value-added service (VAS) licence issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission.

Nairtime maintained that it had consistently complied with regulatory requirements and contractual obligations.

It noted that the suspension linked to the FCCPC’s Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations 2025 risked disrupting services relied upon daily by ordinary Nigerians.

Speaking on the development, Chief Commercial Officer, Optasia, and Chief Executive Officer, Nairtime Nigeria Ltd, Uchenna Agbo, said “This decision is ultimately about protecting underserved Nigerian consumers.

“It ensures that millions of people, many of whom are underserved by traditional financial systems, retain uninterrupted access to essential digital services. Over time, using these services responsibly can help them prove reliability and improve their chances of accessing bigger financial opportunities in the future.

“Our platform enables responsible, data-driven lending that keeps people connected when they need it most, and we look forward to working with our partners to restore services in a manner that resumes full service value to the Nigerian consumers without further delay,” she said.

She reaffirmed the company’s commitment to consumer and data protection through stringent governance frameworks and ethical use of artificial intelligence.

Ms Agbo emphasised that Nairtime shared the broader consumer protection objectives of the federal government and remained committed to constructive engagement with regulators and industry partners.

She said, “We have built a system that supports inclusion at scale, while maintaining strong risk controls for industry stability and economic impact.

“This ruling allows us to continue delivering safe, reliable services that Nigerians depend on every day.

“We remain focused on ensuring that the Nigerian consumer stays at the centre of innovation and will continue working with regulators and our partners, including MTN and Airtel, to promote a fair, transparent, and inclusive digital ecosystem that benefits Nigeria and all Nigerians.” 

Optasia, listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in late 2025, was founded in Nigeria 14 years ago.

Optasia provides the infrastructure layer that connects mobile network operators and banks to millions of underserved customers.

Through its global partnerships with 50 distribution partners and 17 financial institutions, including some of Africa’s largest mobile network operators and tier-one banks, the platform leverages proprietary AI to process credit decisions in under one second.

The dispute comes against the backdrop of recent suspensions of airtime and data credit services, including MTN’s XtraTime and Airtel’s data credit offerings, halted in mid-April after both operators cited compliance obligations under new regulations introduced by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).

The FCCPC’s Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending (DEON) Regulations, introduced in July 2025, expanded oversight to include digital and non-traditional consumer lending services such as airtime and data credit.

As of April 2026, FCCPC has approved Total Tim Nigeria Ltd., Rane Interractive Medien CLS Ltd., Mode NG Applications Nigeria Ltd., Cloud Interractive Associate Ltd., and Coverage Broadband Ltd. to offer airtime and data lending services. These fintech providers replaced mobile network operators.

Meanwhile, the FCCPC has maintained that it did not prohibit airtime credit services, stating that the suspensions were commercial decisions taken independently by telecom operators.

(NAN)