The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) said it has resumed the implementation and enforcement of its Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations, 2025 (DEON Regulations), following a Federal High Court judgment affirming the Commission’s regulatory powers.
The Commission announced the development in a statement posted on its official X handle on Monday, July 20.
According to the FCCPC, the decision follows a judgment delivered by Justice A.L. Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Lagos, in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/760/2026 filed by the Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria Ltd/Gte (WASPAN).
The court dismissed the plaintiff’s originating summons in its entirety, rejected all the reliefs sought and upheld the validity of the DEON Regulations, ruling that they were enacted within the Commission’s statutory and constitutional powers.
The court also affirmed the legality of the specific provisions challenged in the suit and vacated the interim ex parte order that had restrained the FCCPC from implementing and enforcing the regulations.
With the ruling, the Commission said the legal obstacle that prompted the temporary suspension of the regulations has been removed, making the DEON Regulations fully operational and enforceable once again.
The FCCPC recalled that WASPAN had questioned its authority to issue and implement the regulations. It noted that after being served with the court’s interim order in April 2026, it immediately suspended implementation and enforcement of the regulations in compliance with the court’s directive.
Reacting to the judgment, the FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, said the Commission remained committed to operating within the law.
“The Commission has always maintained that the rule of law is fundamental to effective regulation and good governance. 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,” he said.
Ijagwu added that the regulations are aimed at sanitising Nigeria’s digital lending industry by promoting responsible lending and protecting consumers from exploitative practices.
“The DEON Regulations are designed to promote responsible lending, improve regulatory accountability, curb unfair and exploitative practices, and strengthen consumer protection in Nigeria’s digital lending market. 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.
