The suspension of airtime and data credit services by Nigeria's telecommunications operators has disrupted a service used by an estimated 40 million subscribers and drawn attention to a little-understood corner of the country's digital economy.
Much of the public debate has focused on the legal dispute between telecommunications companies, value-added service providers, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
Less attention has been paid to a simpler question: how airtime credit actually works, who provides it, and why it has become the subject of a major regulatory battle.
What is airtime credit?
Airtime credit allows prepaid mobile subscribers to receive a small advance on airtime or data when they run out of credit, with repayment automatically deducted from their next recharge.
