12 years after, MTN Nigeria suspends Xtratime service

Business, Technology

LAGOS, Nigeria — 17 April 2026 (NPA) — MTN Nigeria Communications Plc has announced the suspension of its Xtratime service, which previously allowed customers to borrow airtime or data with repayment automatically deducted from their next recharge. The company cited compliance with new government lending regulations as the reason for the stoppage of the service launched in 2014.

In a statement issued Thursday and signed by Uto Ukpanah, FCIS, Company Secretary, MTN notified the Nigerian Exchange Limited and the investing public that the airtime and data credit advance service has been temporarily halted.

The suspension, according to the statement, follows the implementation of the Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations, 2025, which introduced stricter compliance and licensing requirements for providers of digital or non-traditional consumer credit services.

MTN assured customers that, in the interim, they will continue to have access to alternative digital channels for airtime and data purchases.

On the potential impact to its financial performance, the company stated that given the scale of the service within its overall revenue mix, it does not expect the temporary suspension to materially affect earnings or profitability.

“We are closely monitoring customer behaviour and usage trends and will provide an update on any quantified impact in our Q1 2026 results,” the statement concluded.