The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) says it has resumed the implementation and enforcement of the digital, electronic, online or non-traditional consumer lending regulations, 2025 (DEON).
The development follows a federal high court judgment affirming the validity of the framework, according to a statement on Monday.
In September 2025, FCCPC said the DEON regulations, issued under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (2018), would serve as a comprehensive framework for registration, transparency, and ethical loan recovery.
The commission said the document is also the framework for data privacy and responsible lending across all unsecured consumer credit offered through electronic and non-traditional channels.
Among other provisions, the regulations require digital lenders to register with the commission, meet consumer protection standards, adopt transparent lending practices, protect borrowers’ data, and refrain from abusive debt recovery methods.
In November 2025, FCCPC set January 5, 2026, as the deadline for full compliance with the regulations.
However, in April 2026, the commission suspended implementation of the regulations after the Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria (WASPAN) secured an interim court order challenging its powers, pending the determination of the suit.
In a statement on Monday, the commission said Justice A.L. Allagoa of the federal high court in Lagos dismissed the suit filed by the Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria (WASPAN), challenging the commission’s authority to issue and implement the regulations.
The court declined all the reliefs sought by the association, held that the regulations were made pursuant to the FCCPC’s statutory and constitutional powers, and discharged the interim ex parte order that had restrained their implementation.
The commission said the ruling removed the legal impediment that had prompted it to suspend enforcement of the regulations in April 2026 after being served with the court’s interim order, adding that the regulations are now “fully operational and enforceable”.
Reacting to the judgment, Ondaje Ijagwu, FCCPC’s director of corporate affairs, said the commission complied with the interim order because of its commitment to the rule of law and would continue to carry out its statutory responsibilities in line with the court’s decision.
“The Commission has always maintained that the rule of law is fundamental to effective regulation and good governance,” Ojagwu said.
“When the Court issued its interim order, we immediately suspended implementation of the Regulations in full compliance with the Court’s directive. Now that the Court has affirmed the validity of the DEON Regulations and delivered judgment in favour of the Commission, we will continue to discharge our statutory responsibilities faithfully, professionally and in accordance with the law.
“Our objective has always been to ensure that innovation and financial inclusion flourish within a transparent, fair and accountable regulatory framework that inspires confidence among consumers, investors and responsible operators alike,” he added.
Ijagwu said the regulations are intended to promote responsible lending, improve regulatory accountability, curb unfair and exploitative practices, and strengthen consumer protection in Nigeria’s digital lending market.
