Thursday, April 16, 2026 - MTN Nigeria has suspended its airtime and data advance service known as Xtratime following new regulatory requirements introduced by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.
The telecom operator disclosed the decision in a filing to
the Nigerian Exchange Limited on Thursday, saying the suspension was to enable
compliance with the FCCPC’s Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional
Consumer Lending Regulations, 2025.
The service allows prepaid subscribers to borrow airtime or
data and repay on their next recharge.
In the disclosure signed by its company secretary, Uto
Ukpanah, MTN said Xtratime falls under the scope of the new regulations, which
require additional licensing and compliance procedures for providers of digital
credit services.
“MTN Nigeria Communications PLC hereby notifies the Nigerian
Exchange Limited and the investing public that the company has temporarily
suspended its airtime and data credit advance service (‘Xtratime’),” the
company said.
It added that the suspension relates to “the implementation
of processes under the Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional Consumer
Lending Regulations, 2025, which introduced a new compliance and licensing
framework for entities providing digital or non-traditional consumer credit
services”.
Despite the suspension, MTN said customers would continue to
access other channels for purchasing airtime and data and stressed that the
decision is not expected to materially affect earnings.
“Given the scale within the revenue mix, we do not expect
the temporary suspension to have a material impact,” the company said, adding
that it was monitoring customer behaviour and usage patterns and would provide
updates in its first quarter 2026 results.
The FCCPC’s 2025 regulations expand oversight of digital
lending to include telecom operators and other providers of short-term credit
services.
Under the framework, companies offering airtime and data
advances are required to register and obtain approval to continue operations.
The commission had earlier introduced a regulatory framework
for digital lending in 2022, but expanded its scope with stricter rules in
2025.
Transitional compliance deadlines have been set, with full
registration expected by April 2026.
The tightening of rules reflects growing concerns over
consumer debt, data privacy and lending practices in Nigeria’s expanding
digital credit sector.
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