The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has urged the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to establish a clear regulatory framework for airtime and data credit services.

ALTON Chairman, Gbenga Adebayo, made this call in a statement on Monday, reacting to a Federal High Court judgment delivered by Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/760/2026.

The court affirmed the FCCPC's authority to regulate airtime and data credit services under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018. It also preserved the NCC’s exclusive responsibility for telecommunications licensing and technical regulation under the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, stating that “concurrency means coexistence, not displacement.”

Adebayo welcomed the decision, noting that it provided much-needed clarity for operators. He stated that the industry now expects both regulators to establish the coordination framework required by the court’s reasoning.

He further urged the FCCPC and NCC to engage industry stakeholders through formal consultations before taking enforcement actions. This follows a previous three-month suspension of airtime credit services earlier this year due to an enforcement directive, which was later restored.

Adebayo highlighted that 40 million Nigerians rely on these services. He also reminded the agencies of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council’s directive of April 6, 2026, which mandates a Regulatory Impact Assessment before introducing significant regulatory changes.