MTN Nigeria has temporarily suspended its Xtratime service, which allows prepaid customers to borrow airtime and data, following new regulations issued by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
The company disclosed this in a filing to the Nigerian Exchange Limited on Thursday, saying the decision was taken to comply with the FCCPC’s Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations, 2025.
Xtratime enables subscribers to access airtime or data on credit and repay on their next recharge. In the filing signed by its Company Secretary, Uto Ukpanah, MTN said the service now falls under the scope of the new regulations, which introduce additional licensing and compliance requirements 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.
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It added that the suspension is part of ongoing compliance processes under the 2025 regulations, which provide a new framework for digital and non-traditional consumer lending. Despite the suspension, MTN said customers can still purchase airtime and data through other channels. The company also said the move is not expected to have a material impact on its earnings.
“Given the scale within the revenue mix, we do not expect the temporary suspension to have a material impact,” it said, adding that it is monitoring customer usage patterns and will provide updates in its first-quarter 2026 results.The FCCPC’s updated regulations extend oversight to telecom operators and other providers of short-term digital credit services, including airtime advances.
Under the framework, affected companies are required to register and obtain approval before continuing such services. The commission first introduced a digital lending framework in 2022 but expanded its scope in 2025 with stricter compliance requirements.Full compliance is expected by April 2026 under transitional arrangements.
The new rules reflect growing regulatory concerns around consumer debt, data privacy, and lending practices in Nigeria’s expanding digital credit market.
