20/04/2026
FCCPC: No Ban on Airtime Borrowing as MTN Suspends Xtratime for Compliance
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has said it did not ban airtime borrowing or data advance services in Nigeria.
This clarification comes after MTN Nigeria announced it was stopping its airtime and data borrowing service, known as Xtratime, to follow new lending rules introduced in 2025.
According to the FCCPC, reports claiming that it shut down these services are false. The commission said it has not stopped Nigerians from using airtime or data borrowing services.
The agency explained that it introduced the new rules in July 2025 to fix problems many users complained about. These problems include hidden charges, unexplained deductions, and harsh methods used to recover borrowed airtime or data.
The rules are meant to make the system fairer and more transparent. They require service providers to clearly explain their charges, protect customer data, and create easy ways for customers to complain.
The FCCPC also said some telecom companies were not following fair competition rules. Because of this, the new regulations were designed to make the market more open and competitive.
Although companies were given time to comply with the rules until January 5, 2026, some failed to meet the deadline.
The commission added that any decision to stop or change services, like MTN’s Xtratime suspension, was made by the companies themselves to meet the new rules—not because the FCCPC banned the services.
Finally, the FCCPC warned that some people are spreading false information to confuse the public and weaken its efforts to protect consumers.
