Unregistered loan apps enforcement has officially begun as the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission moves against digital lenders that failed to comply with Nigeria’s 2025 Digital Lending Rules. The commission confirmed the action in a statement published on its official X account, following the expiration of the January 5, 2026 compliance deadline.
FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tunji Bello, said the enforcement marks the close of the transitional window granted to digital money lenders to regularise their operations. He stressed that the measures are designed to strengthen transparency and consumer confidence, not to disrupt compliant businesses.
As part of the action, the FCCPC has revoked the conditional approvals previously granted to defaulting digital money lenders. These operators have also been removed from the commission’s official register of approved digital lenders, which Bello described as a key consumer protection tool. He warned Nigerians to exercise caution when engaging with lenders not listed on the register.
The regulator has also begun structured engagement with app hosting platforms and payment service providers to support monitoring and enforcement. Officials said this collaboration is critical to identifying and restricting the operations of non-compliant loan apps still active on digital platforms.
While enforcement has commenced, the FCCPC said some operators remain eligible for regularisation. Digital lenders provisionally classified under transitional arrangements have until April 2026 to complete registration under the Digital Economic Operators Network Regulations. Bello warned that lenders who fail to comply within the new window risk tougher regulatory sanctions.
The crackdown follows mounting complaints over exploitative interest rates, aggressive debt recovery, and privacy violations by unregulated loan apps. In response, Nigeria introduced stricter digital lending regulations in July 2025, requiring mandatory FCCPC registration, ethical lending standards, and compliance with data protection laws.
FCCPC records show that by early January 2026, 521 digital lenders were registered, with most fully approved. However, more than 100 unregistered loan apps remain on the commission’s watchlist.
The Nigeria Data Protection Commission has also reported over 400 cases of privacy breaches linked to loan apps, including unauthorized access to personal data. Consumer groups say harassment and cyberbullying by illegal lenders persist, reinforcing the urgency of unregistered loan apps enforcement across the digital lending space.
