Optasia announces restoration of airtime lending services in Nigeria

Optasia, the South African company that processes airtime lending services for Airtel and MTN customers, has officially announced that it has resumed airtime credit services in Nigeria. 

In an announcement, the company noted that it has resumed voice and data lending services through operator partners in Nigeria as of 24 June 2026.

The development comes after it temporarily suspended processing airtime lending services in April following a regulatory crackdown by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).

“The underlying regulations remain suspended pending the outcome of the ongoing legal proceedings,” the company said in April. 

“The Group is working with its partner and relevant stakeholders to facilitate restoration of services and will provide an update in due course,” it added. 

Optasia, which operates in Nigeria through Nairtime, sits behind Nigeria’s major mobile operators as the credit engine powering airtime and data loans. It provides the AI-driven lending infrastructure that MTN and Airtel have been using for a while. 

Following the regulatory crackdown on Digital and Non-Traditional Consumer Lending (DEON) that caused a temporary halt in services, Optasia said it did not expect the matter to have a material impact on its financial position. It also said it was reviewing the situation internally.

The Nigerian airtime lending market is vast, with recent reports indicating that over 40 million Nigerians rely on airtime lending services, which is also valued between N300 and N400 billion. 

Weeks ago, Airtel and Globacom quietly restored the services, while MTN and T2mobile (formerly 9mobile) resumed the offering recently. Optasia’s announcement officially confirms the services’ full operation in Nigeria. 

Also Read: Airtime lending: FCCPC denies Optasia monopoly reports amid court injunction.

Crackdown on airtime lending rules

Amid Optasia’s resumption, an ongoing battle in court continues.

Following the suspension of the airtime lending services by telcos, Nairtime Nigeria Ltd filed a suit against the FCCPC. In the case, the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division, directed telcos to restore XtraTime services. 

In another legal battle, the Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria (WASPAN) challenged the legality of the DEON rule within the Nigerian telecoms industry at the Federal High Court in Lagos. 

The association argued that certain provisions of the regulations would negatively affect its members and needed to be challenged in court.

The case is still before the Federal High Court, and the judgment on the legality of the DEON rule in the telecoms industry has been reserved until July 20, 2026. 

However, the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), through its Chairman, Mr Gbenga Adebayo, revealed that the FCCPC has suspended the digital lending rule. He tagged the decision as a mature attempt to recognise the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) as the primary regulator of the telecoms industry. 

The reported decision comes after the court has temporarily blocked the FCCPC from enforcing parts of the digital lending regulations on telecom operators.