Federal High Courts Restore MTN and Airtel Airtime, Data Lending Services

The Federal High Courts in Abuja and Lagos have ordered MTN Nigeria and Airtel Networks to immediately resume their airtime and data lending services. The rulings block enforcement of the FCCPC’s 2025 DEON regulations, ruling that suspending these services unlawfully interfered with valid VAS licences and contract terms. The suspension had threatened a ₦1.2 trillion liquidity buffer that supports over 80% of Nigeria’s informal economy. Airtime advances act as micro-credit for dispatch riders, petty traders and artisans. Judges found that the commission could not bypass mandatory notice periods in existing agreements. Analysts note the decision aligns with President Tinubu’s ease-of-doing-business agenda and provides institutional predictability. Telecom operators must now comply with the restoration order as the case continues in court, setting a key precedent for digital regulation.

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