The Federal High Court in Lagos has ruled that the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) lacks the authority to issue licences, but retains oversight powers over airtime and data credit services.
Delivering judgment in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/760/2026, Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa clarified that the FCCPC’s powers operate alongside those of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), rather than replacing them.
The court upheld the validity of the DEON Consumer Lending Regulations 2025, affirming they fall within the FCCPC’s statutory and constitutional mandate. Justice Lewis-Allagoa emphasized that “concurrency means coexistence, not displacement,” underscoring the complementary relationship between the FCCPC and sector-specific regulators.
While confirming the FCCPC’s precedence in matters of competition and consumer protection under the FCCPA 2018, the court reaffirmed the NCC’s exclusive authority over technical, licensing, and prudential duties as defined by the Nigerian Communications Act 2003.
The ruling noted that the FCCPC cannot establish a telecommunications licensing framework, leaving the NCC as
