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Nigerian authorities begin digital loan apps harmonization
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, has commenced a phased implementation of enforcement measures in respect of Digital Money Lending, DML, operators.
A statement released on Wednesday by its spokesperson, Ondaje Ijagwu, said the enforcement is targeted at those who did not regularise their status in accordance with the Digital, Electronic, Online and Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations, 2025 (DEON Regulations).
The Commission had fixed Monday, 5 January 2026, as the deadline for compliance.
Speaking on the commencement of enforcement measures, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Mr. Tunji Bello, stated that the actions were necessary to give effect to the regulations and to maintain regulatory certainty in Nigeria’s digital lending market, in line with the Commission’s statutory mandate.
“The compliance window provided under the Regulations has now closed. At this stage, the Commission is proceeding with appropriate enforcement steps in a manner that is fair, orderly, and consistent with due process,” Mr. Bello said.
“The objective is to promote discipline, transparency, and consumer confidence within the digital lending space, not to disrupt legitimate business activity.”
As part of the approved enforcement framework, the Commission has withdrawn the conditionally approved status previously granted to certain DML operators that did not complete the required regularization process within the transitional period.
Consequently, such operators have been removed from the FCCPC’s published register of approved digital lenders, pending compliance with applicable regulatory requirements.
Bello noted that the Commission’s published register serves as an important consumer information tool.
“The FCCPC’s register is intended to guide the public on operators that have met the applicable regulatory requirements as at the time of publication. Consumers are advised to exercise caution when dealing with digital lenders that do not appear on the Commission’s current list of approved operators,” he said.
The Commission has also commenced structured engagement with relevant application hosting platforms and payment service providers, consistent with its statutory functions, as part of ongoing enforcement and compliance monitoring activities. Further regulatory steps will be undertaken in accordance with law and established procedures.
For those provisionally designated as eligible under transitional arrangements, the Commission has issued a deadline of April 2026 to regularize their registration under the DEON Regulations.
“This window is provided to enable affected operators to take steps towards compliance. Operators that choose not to regularize their status within this period may be subject to further regulatory measures, as provided under the law,” Bello stated.
The FCCPC emphasized that the ongoing enforcement process is intended to support market discipline, protect compliant operators from unfair competitive practices, and safeguard consumers from abusive, deceptive, or unlawful conduct.
“Effective regulation depends on consistent application. Compliant businesses deserve a predictable regulatory environment, and consumers are entitled to protection under the law,” he added.
The Enugu State Government has suspended His Royal Majesty, Igwe Eze William Ezugwu, the traditional ruler of Ibagwa Ogbozalla Opi Autonomous Community, in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu state.
The state government accused Igwe Ezugwu of violating provisions of the state’s Traditional Rulers Law.
In a letter of suspension dated September 24, the Enugu State Government cited his alleged failure to constitute his cabinet, failure to establish a Town Union governing body, and persistent conduct deemed inconsistent with the laws governing traditional rulers in the state.
The suspension comes barely three weeks after Igwe William Ezugwu received NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi at his palace in Opi, Nsukka LGA, where he reportedly blessed Obi’s presidential ambition.
The Deputy Commander of Operation Rainbow, CSP (Chief Superintendent of Police) Dennis David Babale, has been killed after gunmen suspected to be Fulani Bandits ambushed personnel of the security outfit along the Bokkos-Barkin Ladi road in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Operation Rainbow is a State-backed community security and intelligence-gathering outfit in Plateau State, Nigeria, originally established in 2010 under former Governor Jonah Jang and recently revamped by Governor Caleb Mutfwang to combat rural violence and beef up grassroots security.
The incident reportedly occurred at about 4:06 p.m. on Tuesday, September 22, 2026 when the personnel, travelling in a Toyota Hilux vehicle, came under attack by unidentified gunmen.
Troops of Sector 4, Operation ENDURING PEACE (OPEP), responded to a distress report and moved to the location of the attack.
Sources told reporters that Babale sustained gunshot wounds during the ambush and was evacuated to the General Hospital, Barkin Ladi, for medical attention.
Following the attack, troops, working alongside personnel of other security agencies, launched offensive operations and a manhunt for the assailants within the general area.
Security forces have intensified efforts to track the attackers and prevent further attacks along the route.
Director General/CEO of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and Nigeria’s Permanent Representative at the World Meteorological Organization, Prof. Charles Anosike and other Chief Executive Officers of similar agencies across the world, have concluded a one week high level dialogue on Climate Science Information for Climate Finance and the 53rd Senior Official Field Exchange (SOFE) in Beijing, China.
The event which was hosted by World Meteorological Organization (WMO), took place from September 14 to 18, 2026 and featured discussions on: strengthening the role and leadership development of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in mobilizing climate finance; aligning scientific and technical capabilities with risk-informed, people-centred early warning systems; shifting from technical assistance to sustainable investments by expanding practical cooperation between meteorological frameworks and multilateral financing entities; and support to NMHSs leadership on strengthening strategic thinking and fostering productive partnerships.
Held back-to-back with the High-level dialogue was the 53rd Senior Official Field Exchange to Fujian Province for first-hand exposure to the implementation of Multi-hazard, Alert, Zero-gap and Universal (MAZU) platform – China’s AI-driven meteorological early warning solution in support of the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative and disaster risk reduction practices through technical exchanges, field visits and peer learning.
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