The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has officially reaffirmed that the Digital, Electronic, Online, or Non-Traditional (DEON) Consumer Lending Regulations, 2025 remain valid and in full effect. This statement comes as a direct rebuttal to claims by a House of Representatives ad-hoc committee suggesting the rules had been suspended.
The DEON Regulations were lawfully gazetted on July 21, 2025, under the FCCPA 2018, giving them full statutory force.
Executive Vice Chairman Tunji Bello asserts that while the National Assembly holds oversight powers, it lacks the legal authority to unilaterally suspend active subsidiary legislation.
The Commission warned that disregarding these rules would invite a return to predatory lending, debt harassment, and data privacy violations.
In a formal petition to Speaker Tajudeen Abbas dated January 5, 2026, FCCPC Chief Tunji Bello characterized a December 18 letter from the Special Ad-Hoc Committee on Overlapping Jurisdictions as “unlawful and without legal effect.” The committee had advised industry stakeholders and regulators to disregard the DEON framework.
”A regulation validly made, remains in force unless and until it is set aside by a court of competent jurisdiction, amended, or repealed in accordance with law,” the FCCPC stated.
Allegations of Bias and Procedural Gaps
The Commission further raised concerns regarding the conduct of the ad-hoc committee during a December 15 investigative session. According to the petition:
Fair Hearing Denied: FCCPC officials were allegedly blocked from presenting their memorandum because the CEO was not personally present, a courtesy extended to other agencies.
Prejudgment: The Commission claims stakeholder submissions were refused and remarks by the committee suggested the regulations had been “prejudged” before a formal review.
Developed alongside the CBN, NCC, and Data Protection Commission, the DEON framework was designed to sanitize a sector notorious for:
Abusive Debt Recovery: Protecting borrowers from defamation and harassment, Opaque Pricing: Mandating transparency in interest rates and fees, Data Misuse: Preventing the unauthorized harvesting of consumer contact lists.
The FCCPC has urged the Speaker of the House to intervene, halt the circulation of misleading communications, and confirm the continued enforcement of the DEON Regulations to maintain investor confidence and market stability.
