MTN expects Nigeria rebound as airtime lending resumes

MTN Group anticipates a resurgence in its Nigerian operations during the second half of 2026, following the resumption of airtime lending services after a regulatory suspension in April. The telco had reduced its airtime lending base to around a quarter of its first-quarter performance, which hampered revenue during April, May, and June.

MTN is now re-establishing the service with four vendors in place and anticipates recovery in lending activity in the second half of the year. Airtime lending was a significant contributor to MTN Nigeria's fintech revenue, and its suspension resulted in a loss of approximately ₦50 billion ($37.1 million) in revenue for the first half of 2026.

As a result, group management stated that growth would have been in the high 20s, excluding the effects of the airtime lending suspension and last year's tariff increase. MTN suspended the airtime lending service in April due to the Federal Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) imposing new licensing and consumer-protection requirements.

Ralph Mupita, MTN Group CEO, expressed confidence in the recovery of the eligible customer base through Q3 and Q4, stating that the company should begin to see an increase in the whitelisting base for extending airtime advance in Nigeria. The recovery is crucial for MTN's plans in Nigeria, one of its most significant growth markets, as demand remains robust, with a 7.5 million subscriber addition and increased investment in network expansion, including mobile services, fixed wireless access, and fiber.

However, the airtime lending dispute highlights the growing regulatory scrutiny on telecom services in Nigeria, with services like MTN's XtraTime, Globacom's Borrow Me Credit, and Airtel's Extra Credit now subject to stricter consumer-credit regulations. This regulatory environment underscores the dependence of telecom revenue on services beyond the traditional voice and data business, emphasizing the need for robust execution and strategic planning.