The Federal High Court in Abuja, in a ruling delivered on April 24, 2026, restrained the respondents—telecommunications firms, MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and Airtel Networks Limited—from suspending or restricting services provided to Nairtime Nigeria Limited pending the determination of a substantive suit challenging regulatory actions linked to digital lending operations.
The interim order, contained in a Certified True Copy obtained on Tuesday, followed an ex parte application filed by Nairtime Holdings Limited and Nairtime Nigeria Limited, which approached the court over what they described as a threatened disruption of their business operations by the telecom operators.
In Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/779/2026, the plaintiffs argued that the defendants intended to suspend, discontinue, or otherwise interfere with their access to telecommunications platforms, including USSD channels, SMS, short codes, and billing services. They contended that the planned action was based on directives allegedly arising from the Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations 2025.
The plaintiffs maintained that such actions would constitute unlawful interference with their contractual rights and business operations, noting that they are licensed Value Added Service providers operating under valid approvals issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission.
They further asserted that they had complied with all contractual obligations and that no valid notice of breach had been issued by the defendants. Ruling on the motion, the court granted an order of “Interim Injunction restraining the 1st and 2nd Defendants/Respondents, whether by themselves, their officers, servants, agents, or privies, from suspending, restricting, discontinuing, or otherwise interfering with the access of the 2nd Plaintiff to their platforms, channels, short codes, SMS, USSD, billing services and other telecommunications-enabled services and operations during the subsistence of the 2nd Plaintiff’s valid licence issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission under and by virtue of the Nigerian Communications Act on the basis of the DEON Regulations issued by the Federal Republic of Nigeria.” The court further held that telecom operators could not set aside agreed contractual notice periods and dispute-resolution mechanisms in a bid to comply with new regulatory directives.
The order specifically covers access to platforms, channels, short codes, SMS, USSD services, and other telecommunications-enabled operations utilised by Nairtime Nigeria Limited in delivering its airtime advance and digital lending services. The court directed that the status quo be maintained pending the determination of the substantive suit, noting the subsistence of a valid licence held by the second plaintiff.
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FHC/L/CS/720/2026, granted interim orders restraining the defendant in the suit—the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission—from enforcing provisions of the same lending regulations against the plaintiff, the Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria.
The Lagos court, presided over by Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, barred the commission from implementing key provisions of the regulations, imposing sanctions, or taking steps that could hinder service providers from continuing their operations pending the hearing of an interlocutory injunction.
The judge held, “An Order of Interim Injunction is granted pending the hearing and final determination of the Motion for Interlocutory Injunction restraining the Defendant, whether by itself, officers, employees, agents, or such other persons howsoever named, from enforcing, implementing and/or otherwise giving effect to the enforcement and/or implementation of the Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations 2025 (‘The DEON Consumer Lending Regulations’) or otherwise giving effect to the enforcement and/or implementation of paragraphs 3, 7, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 24, 27, 29 and 32 of the said regulations.” “That an Order of Interim Injunction is granted pending the hearing and final determination of the Motion for Interlocutory Injunction restraining the Defendant, whether by itself, officers, employees, agents, or such other persons howsoever named, from taking any steps towards interfering with or preventing the Plaintiff’s members from providing or continuing to provide or deploy any services or product governed by the Digital, Electronic, Online, or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations 2025 (‘The DEON Consumer Lending Regulations’).” Airtime credit services, including MTN’s XtraTime and Airtel’s data credit offerings, were suspended in mid-April after both operators cited compliance obligations under the new regulatory framework introduced by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.