ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria has urged the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and the Nigerian Communications Commission to develop a clear regulatory framework for airtime and data credit services.
The association’s Chairman, Gbenga Adebayo, made the appeal in a statement issued on Monday while reacting to a Federal High Court judgment in Lagos affirming the responsibilities of both regulatory agencies.
The court ruled that while the FCCPC has the authority to regulate airtime and data credit services, its powers are to be exercised alongside those of the NCC.
It also upheld the FCCPC’s powers under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018, while maintaining the NCC’s exclusive mandate over telecommunications licensing and technical regulation as provided by the Nigerian Communications Act 2003.
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Delivering judgment in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/760/2026, Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa held that the relationship between both regulators is complementary, stating that “concurrency means coexistence, not displacement.”
Reacting to the verdict, Adebayo described the judgment as a welcome development that provides greater regulatory certainty for operators in the telecommunications sector.
“The court has done something important. It has confirmed the FCCPC’s authority and, in the same breath, affirmed that the NCC’s role is preserved. Concurrency means coexistence.
The industry now expects both regulators to establish the coordination framework that the court’s reasoning requires,” he said.
He called on the FCCPC and the NCC to engage industry stakeholders through formal consultations before implementing enforcement measures, recalling that airtime credit services were suspended for three months earlier this year following an enforcement directive before eventually being restored.
“Forty million Nigerians depend on these services. The court has made clear that both regulators have a role. The industry is asking them to define how that works before any action that could disrupt access again,” Adebayo said.
He further noted that the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council’s directive of April 6, 2026, which mandates all federal agencies to conduct a Regulatory Impact Assessment before introducing major regulatory changes, is still in force.