Airtel and Glo Restore Airtime Borrowing Services

Just weeks after telecom subscribers across Nigeria lost access to airtime and data borrowing services, some of those features are beginning to return.

Airtel and Globacom have resumed airtime lending services following a recent court backed pause in the enforcement of parts of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission’s digital lending regulations.

The restoration comes after weeks of uncertainty that saw operators suspend services many Nigerians rely on for emergency communication and short term connectivity.

However, while Airtel and Glo users are beginning to regain access, MTN subscribers are still waiting for a full return of the service at the time of writing.

What’s The Story Now?

The latest development follows a public notice issued by the FCCPC on May 22 announcing the suspension of enforcement actions tied to its Digital, Electronic, Online or Non Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations, also known as the DEON Regulations.

The suspension came after an interim order from the Federal High Court in Lagos restrained parts of the commission’s enforcement process following a lawsuit filed by the Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria (WASPAN).

The court order temporarily halted the implementation of aspects of the framework that affected telecom based airtime and data credit services.

That decision appears to have opened the door for operators to begin restoring suspended lending features.

Airtime Borrowing Returns for Some Users

TechCabal independently confirmed that Airtel and Globacom have relisted airtime lending services on their platforms.

Checks carried out by Techblit also showed that Airtel’s borrowing feature had resumed for some users as of Monday morning. Services such as Globacom’s “Borrow Me Credit” are now appearing again after weeks of disruption.

The restoration will likely come as relief for many subscribers who depend on airtime advances during emergencies or temporary cash shortages.

For prepaid users especially, airtime borrowing has become more than a convenience feature. In many cases, it serves as a short term microcredit system that helps users stay connected when funds are unavailable.

Why The Services Were Suspended

The dispute began after the FCCPC expanded the scope of its digital lending regulations to include telecom airtime and data credit services.

Under the framework, operators offering deferred payment services could be treated as digital lenders and required to comply with consumer lending obligations including registration, disclosure standards, and other regulatory requirements.

Industry stakeholders pushed back almost immediately. WASPAN argued that airtime credit operates as a telecom value added service already governed under the Nigerian Communications Commission framework rather than a conventional loan product.

The disagreement created a regulatory standoff involving telecom operators, regulators, and service providers.

To avoid potential sanctions and compliance complications, operators including MTN, Airtel, and Globacom suspended parts of their airtime lending systems earlier this year.

MTN Still Has Not Fully Returned

While Airtel and Glo have resumed services, MTN users have continued reporting limited or unavailable access to borrowing features.

At the time of writing, MTN had not officially announced a full restoration of its airtime lending services.

However, industry stakeholders believe the service could eventually return following the FCCPC’s temporary suspension of enforcement actions.

Speaking to TechCabal, WASPAN chairman Ayo Stuffman said the association remained confident that MTN services would resume given the latest regulatory developments.

The delay may reflect caution as operators continue assessing the legal and regulatory implications surrounding the ongoing dispute.

The Bigger Regulatory Question Remains Unresolved

Although services are gradually returning, the larger regulatory battle is far from settled.

The FCCPC has already indicated plans to challenge the court order and continue defending the broader framework behind the DEON Regulations.

At the center of the disagreement is a larger question about classification. Should airtime and data advances be treated as telecom services or as digital lending products? The answer could significantly shape how telecom operators manage these services moving forward.

If airtime advances remain classified under consumer lending rules, operators may face stricter compliance obligations similar to those applied to digital loan platforms. If regulators move toward a telecom centered framework instead, operators could regain more flexibility under existing NCC oversight.

For now, the market remains in a transitional phase where the final structure is still unclear.

A Market Millions Depend On

The temporary disruption highlighted how deeply integrated airtime borrowing has become within Nigeria’s telecom ecosystem.

For many users, especially low income subscribers, borrowing airtime or data often serves as a quick way to maintain communication during financial gaps.

Industry stakeholders also estimate that the market processes hundreds of billions of naira annually, making it an important revenue stream for operators and service providers.

That scale is part of why the regulatory clash quickly became one of the country’s most closely watched telecom disputes this year.

The Larger Picture

For now, Airtel and Globacom users are beginning to see services return, while MTN subscribers continue waiting for broader restoration.

But beyond the immediate relief for users, the larger regulatory conversation is still unfolding behind the scenes.

The courts, FCCPC, NCC, telecom operators, and service providers are all still trying to define where airtime borrowing fits within Nigeria’s evolving digital economy. And until that question is fully resolved, uncertainty around the future structure of these services is likely to remain.