TELECOMMUNICATIONS operator, MTN has temporarily suspended its airtime and data lending services known as “Extratime”, citing the new regulation released by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) as the reason.

The company disclosed this in a corporate disclosure to the NGX released Thursday.

MTN explained that the FCCPC’s Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations, 2025, introduced a fresh compliance and licensing framework for companies offering digital or non-traditional consumer credit services in Nigeria.

In the disclosure signed by its Company Secretary, Uto Ukpanah, MTN noted Xtratime allows eligible subscribers to borrow airtime or data and repay on their next recharge, making it one of the widely used value-added services among prepaid users.

“MTN Nigeria Communications PLC (MTN Nigeria or the Company) hereby notifies the Nigerian Exchange Limited and the investing public that the Company has temporarily suspended its airtime and data credit advance service (Xtratime).

“This 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,” the company stated.

MTN said customers will continue to have access to other digital channels for purchasing airtime and data while the service remains suspended.

MTN has paused its XtraTime service, but customers can still buy airtime and data normally through USSD, bank apps, mobile apps, and POS agents.

The company says this won’t really affect its revenue since XtraTime isn’t a big money-maker. However, MTN is watching to see how customers react.

They will share the full impact in their Q1 2026 results,and there’s no date yet for when XtraTime will return.

The DEON Regulations, effective from July 21, 2025, new rules by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) make digital loans safer.

Lenders must register, explain terms clearly, and stop harassment, and they also can’t give automatic loans and must be licensed.

Simply put: online borrowing is now safer and fairer.

While MTN Nigeria is actively adjusting its services to conform to these new regulations, the implementation of DEON has encountered a significant setback.

A federal high court in Lagos recently issued a temporary injunction, blocking the FCCPC from enforcing specific provisions of the rule.

This legal challenge was brought forth by the Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria (WASPA Nigeria), an industry group that argued certain parts of the DEON's provisions would negatively impact its members.