FULL LIST: Illegal Loan Apps Delisted by the FG (Updated 2026)

Introduction

If you have recently used a loan app in Nigeria, or are considering downloading one, this page is relevant. Since 2023, the Federal Government has been removing illegal digital money lending apps from the Google Play Store, protecting Nigerians from predatory lenders who harass borrowers, access contacts without consent, and impose hidden charges. The crackdown has only intensified since then. 

This is our updated guide to every loan app officially delisted or blacklisted to date, what it means for borrowers, and how to protect yourself.  

Table of Contents

• What Is the FCCPC and Why Does It Delist Loan Apps?
• A Timeline of the Crackdown
• The 37 Loan Apps Delisted in September 2023: Full List
• What Happened After: The 2025 DEON Regulations
• The January 2026 Blacklist: What We Know
• The 103 Apps on the Watchlist
• What This Means for You
• What to Do If You Borrowed from a Blacklisted App
• nairaCompare Insight
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Related Resources
  

Why This Ranking Matters

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) is Nigeria's primary consumer protection regulator, established under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018. Since 2022, it has operated a registration framework for digital money lenders (DMLs) and has the authority to remove non-compliant apps from the Google Play Store and other platforms.

Loan apps get delisted for several reasons:

• Operating without FCCPC approval or registration
• Accessing users' phone contacts without consent and using them to shame or harass borrowers
• Charging undisclosed fees or interest rates
• Deducting money from accounts without authorisation
• Defaming or threatening borrowers to recover loans

The FCCPC works alongside the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on enforcement. Once permanently delisted, apps are removed from the Google Play Store and barred from legal lending operations in Nigeria.

A Timeline of the Crackdown

The FCCPC's action against illegal loan apps has been building since 2022. Here is how it unfolded:

March 2022: The FCCPC raided the offices of several loan app operators, including GoCash, OKash, EasyCredit, Kashkash, Speedy Choice, Easy Moni, and Sokoloan, over harassment complaints.

2022: The FCCPC introduced the Limited Interim Regulatory/Registration Framework and Guidelines for Digital Lending, creating Nigeria's first formal registration system for digital lenders.

January 2023: Google updated its Personal Loans policy for apps on the Play Store, restricting access to users' contacts, photos, external storage, and location data.

1 August 2023: The FCCPC requested that Google remove 18 illegal apps from the Play Store for operating without regulatory approval or in violation of the 2022 Guidelines.

20 August 2023: The FCCPC permanently delisted at least two loan apps, including Getloan and Cameloan, from the Play Store for violating consumer privacy guidelines.

11 September 2023: The FCCPC delisted 37 more illegal loan apps in a single action, bringing the cumulative total to 37. By that point, 164 apps held full approval, 38 had conditional approval, and 56 were on the commission's watchlist.

21 July 2025: The FCCPC introduced the Digital, Electronic, Online, or Non-Traditional (DEON) Consumer Lending Regulations 2025, replacing the interim framework with a comprehensive legal regime. All digital lenders were required to register and comply with the new rules, with a deadline of 5 January 2026.

October 2025: The number of fully approved digital lenders had grown to 434, with 47 apps delisted to date.

5 January 2026: The FCCPC's DEON compliance deadline expired. The commission immediately began enforcement action against lenders that had not registered or met the requirements. By this point, 457 lenders had received full approval, 35 had conditional approval, and 103 were on the regulatory watchlist facing potential enforcement action. Non-compliant lenders face fines of up to ₦100 million or 19% of annual turnover, alongside possible director disqualification for up to five years.

January 2026: The FCCPC officially blacklisted 45 loan apps for failing to comply with the Digital Lending Regulations.

The 37 Loan Apps Delisted in September 2023: Full List

The following apps were permanently removed from the Google Play Store by the FCCPC on 11 September 2023, as reported by The Punch and confirmed by the FCCPC. These apps were delisted for operating illegally or in violation of the 2022 Digital Lending Guidelines.

1. Swiftkash App
2. Hen Credit Loan App
3. Cash Door App
4. Joy Cash-Loan Up To 1,000,000 App
5. Eaglecash App
6. Luckyloan Personal Loan App
7. Getloan App
8. Easeloan Apps
9. Naira Naija
10. Cashlawn App
11. Easynaira App
12. Crediting App
13. Yoyi App
14. Nut Loan App
15. Cashpal App
16. Nairaeasy Gist Loan App
17. Camelloan App
18. Nairaloan App
19. Moneytreefinance Made Easy App
20. Cashme App
21. Secucash App
22. Creditbox App
23. Cashmama App
24. Crimson Credit App
25. Galaxy Credit App
26. Ease Cash App
27. Xcredit
28. Imoney
29. Imoneyplus-Instant
30. Nairanaija-Instant
31. Nownowmoney
32. Naija Cash
33. Eagle Cash
34. Firstnell App
35. Flypay
36. Spark Credit
37. WeCredit

Source: FCCPC via The Punch, BusinessDay, September 2023. List verified across multiple published reports.

What Happened After: The 2025 DEON Regulations

The 2023 crackdown helped, but illegal lending did not stop. Many operators simply rebranded their apps or distributed them outside the Play Store as Android Package Kit (APK) files.

In response, the FCCPC introduced the DEON Regulations in July 2025. The new framework is significantly more comprehensive than the 2022 interim guidelines. Key requirements include:

• Mandatory registration with the FCCPC before operating
• Transparent disclosure of all loan terms, fees, and interest rates before disbursement
• A complete ban on accessing borrowers' contact lists
• Prohibition on using contacts, photos, or personal data for debt recovery
• Ethical debt collection standards, with harassment explicitly outlawed
• Oversight now extended to IT platforms that support digital lenders, not just the lenders themselves
• Cannot legally pursue you through formal channels
• Have no legal basis for using your personal data or contacts
• Cannot sell your debt to regulated institutions
• Are operating in violation of Nigerian law

The FCCPC's register became the primary consumer guide: any lender not appearing on the approved list is operating illegally.

The January 2026 Blacklist: What We Know

Following the 5 January 2026 deadline, the FCCPC officially blacklisted 45 loan apps that had failed to comply with the DEON Regulations. Among the confirmed apps on this blacklist are WeCredit, Hen Credit Loan App, and Cash Door App.

The FCCPC has not yet published the full list of all 45 apps in a single public document at the time of this update. We will update this page as the complete list is confirmed. In the meantime, the official FCCPC register at fccpc.gov.ng/registration-of-digital-money-lenders is the most reliable source of currently approved lenders.

Additionally, 103 digital lending companies remain on the FCCPC's regulatory watchlist as of January 2026 and may face further enforcement action. Operators granted transitional status have until April 2026 to complete their registration under the DEON Regulations, after which further enforcement measures apply.

The 103 Apps on the Watchlist

The watchlist does not mean an app is currently legal. It means the FCCPC is actively monitoring these operators and enforcement action is pending. The NDPC is also investigating over 400 cases of privacy breaches by loan apps, covering unauthorised access to contacts, photos, and messages.

Until an app appears on the FCCPC's publicly approved register, borrowing from it carries real risk.

What This Means for You

If you have borrowed from any of the apps listed above, or from any lender not on the FCCPC's approved register, you have limited consumer protection. Delisted apps:

This does not mean you should ignore any debt you legitimately owe. But it does mean that any harassment, contact-shaming, or threats from these operators can and should be reported.

What to Do If You Borrowed from a Blacklisted App

If you are still being harassed:

Report to the FCCPC here. Include the name of the app, screenshots of messages, and the dates of contact.

If you are concerned about your data:

Revoke the app's permissions on your phone immediately. Go to Settings > Apps > [App Name] > Permissions and revoke access to contacts, storage, and location. Then uninstall the app.

If unauthorised debits are occurring:

Alert your bank immediately. Ask them to block the merchant and flag any further transactions from that source. Most Nigerian banks have a customer protection line for this.

If you borrowed and still owe:

Repay through the app's official channel if it is still accessible or contact the company directly in writing. Do not share further personal information or grant additional permissions.

Before downloading any new loan app:

Check it against the FCCPC approved register at fccpc.gov.ng before entering any personal data.

nairaCompare Insight

If you are borrowing for the first time and came across one of the names on this list while searching for a quick loan, that is a warning sign worth pausing on. The apps that tend to appear in "instant loan" searches or WhatsApp group links are often precisely the ones that are not on the FCCPC register. A legitimate loan app will never ask you to download an APK file, pay an upfront "activation fee," or grant access to your contacts as a condition of borrowing. Start at the FCCPC register, or use our comparison tool to find verified, approved lenders with transparent rates. The few extra minutes it takes to verify will save you far more than a fast disbursement is worth.

If you have already borrowed from an app that turns out to be blacklisted, the priority is data security, not panic. Revoke permissions, report the harassment, and alert your bank if needed. What you should not do is borrow again from another unverified app to repay the first one. That cycle is how short-term stress becomes long-term debt. Our loan comparison page shows FCCPC-approved lenders with terms you can actually read and compare before committing. None of the lenders listed on nairaCompare are on the FCCPC's banned or watchlist.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if a loan app is approved by the FCCPC?

Check the official register at fccpc.gov.ng/registration-of-digital-money-lenders. The list is updated as approvals are granted or withdrawn. If an app is not on the register, it is not authorised to lend in Nigeria under the DEON Regulations 2025.

Can a delisted app still collect money I owe?

Technically, a debt you took on may still be owed. However, a delisted app has no legal standing to use harassment, contact your family or colleagues, or threaten you. Any such behaviour should be reported to the FCCPC. You are not obligated to make payments through a channel that is operating illegally.

Why do some of the same app names appear on the approved list?

Some operators rebranded or re-registered new apps after their original apps were delisted. Approval is granted to the company entity and specific app, not just the name. Always verify that the exact app and developer match the entry on the FCCPC register.

What happens to apps on the watchlist?

Watch listed apps are under active FCCPC monitoring and may face enforcement action at any time, including delisting, fines, or prosecution of directors.

What penalties do illegal lenders face?

Under the DEON Regulations 2025, non-compliant digital lenders face fines of up to ₦100 million or 19% of annual turnover, whichever is higher. Company directors can also be disqualified from serving on any board for up to five years.

Is the January 2026 full blacklist of 45 apps publicly available?

The full list of all 45 apps blacklisted in January 2026 has not been published in full in a single public document as of this update. The FCCPC has confirmed the action and named WeCredit, Hen Credit Loan App, and Cash Door App specifically. We will update this post as the complete list is officially released.

Where can I report a loan app harassing me?

File a complaint at fccpc.gov.ng/consumers/complaint-handling. You can also report to the CBN's Consumer Protection Department and to the NDPC at ndpc.gov.ng for data privacy violations.

Related Resources

• Loan Apps with the Lowest Interest Rates in Nigeria 
• Payday Loans vs Personal Loans: Which Is Right for You? 
• 20 Loan Apps That Offer Instant Online Loans in Nigeria Without Collateral 
• Best Personal Loans in Nigeria: 2026 Ranking

Conclusion

Before downloading any loan app, consider comparing lenders listed as FCCPC-approved on nairaCompare. See rates, terms, and eligibility side by side, with no surprises.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or legal advice. The loan app lists referenced are based on FCCPC announcements and verified press reports. The regulatory situation is evolving; app approval statuses change frequently. Always verify directly with the FCCPC register at fccpc.gov.ng before borrowing. nairaCompare only features lenders that are fully FCCPC-approved at the time of publication.