How to Check if a Loan App Is FCCPC Approved (2026 Guide)

Check if loan app is fccpc approved

Last checked against the official FCCPC register: 11 October 2026

Before you download any loan app in Nigeria, there is one check that takes about two minutes and can save you from hidden charges, data abuse and harassment: confirm the app is FCCPC approved, meaning it appears on the official FCCPC register of approved digital lenders.

This guide shows you exactly where to find the official list of FCCPC approved loan apps, how to search it properly, what each status means, and what to do if the app you want is not on it.

Quick answer

1. Find the company name behind the loan app (not just the app name).
2. Open the FCCPC’s official page: Approvals of Digital Money Lenders.
3. Search for both the app name and the company name in every list on the page.
4. Only borrow if the app appears under Approval, or under Waivers (lenders licensed by the CBN), and the company name matches.
5. Avoid any app that is on the Watchlist, is Delisted, or is missing entirely.

What is the FCCPC and why does its approval matter?

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) is the federal agency that protects consumers in Nigeria. Digital lenders are regulated under the Digital, Electronic, Online, or Non-Traditional (DEON) Consumer Lending Regulations, 2025, which the FCCPC made under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018.

Under these rules, approved lenders must, among other things:

• Disclose interest rates, repayment terms and all fees in clear, simple English before you take the loan.
• Show their current rates and charges on their website and app.
• Publish a complaint channel, including a phone number and email address.
• Resolve complaints within 24 hours, or 48 hours at most, after telling you the timeframe.
• Comply with the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 when handling your personal data.Lenders that break the rules can be fined, suspended or delisted. For a company, the fine can reach ₦100 million or 1% of the previous year’s turnover, whichever is higher.
• In short, an approved lender has a regulator watching it. An unregistered app does not.
• Step-by-step: how to check if a loan app is FCCPC approved
• Step 1: Find the company behind the app
• The FCCPC list is organised by company name, with the apps each company operates beside it. One company often runs several apps, and app names can be copied easily. Find the company name in one of these places:
• Google Play: open the app page, scroll to App support or About this app, and look for the developer name and address.
• Apple App Store: look for the Seller name under “Information”.
• The lender’s website: the company name is usually in the footer, the Terms and Conditions or the Privacy Policy.
• If you cannot find a registered company name anywhere, treat that as a warning sign.
• Lenders that break the rules can be fined, suspended or delisted. For a company, the fine can reach ₦100 million or 1% of the previous year’s turnover, whichever is higher.
• In short, an approved lender has a regulator watching it. An unregistered app does not.
• Step-by-step: how to check if a loan app is FCCPC approved
• Step 1: Find the company behind the app
• The FCCPC list is organised by company name, with the apps each company operates beside it. One company often runs several apps, and app names can be copied easily. Find the company name in one of these places:
• Google Play: open the app page, scroll to App support or About this app, and look for the developer name and address.
• Apple App Store: look for the Seller name under “Information”.
• The lender’s website: the company name is usually in the footer, the Terms and Conditions or the Privacy Policy.
• If you cannot find a registered company name anywhere, treat that as a warning sign.
  

Step 2: Open the official FCCPC page

Go to fccpc.gov.ng → Registration of Digital Money Lenders → Approvals of DMLs, or use this direct link: https://fccpc.gov.ng/registration-of-digital-money-lenders/approvals-of-dmls/

Always check on the fccpc.gov.ng website itself. Lists copied onto blogs, including this one, can go out of date.

Step 3: Search every list on the page

The page contains five separate tables. Each one has its own Search box. Type the app name, then the company name, into each table’s search box.

When we checked on 11 October 2026, the page showed:Step 4: Make sure the names match exactly

Scam apps often copy the names and logos of real lenders. Small differences matter.

For example, when we checked, the Approval list included an app called “QUICKASH APP”, while the Watchlist included one called “QUICK CASH APP”. The names are almost identical, but their statuses are very different.

Before you borrow, confirm that both match the FCCPC entry:

• the app name, and
• the company name you found in Step 1.

Step 5: Re-check before every new loan

Approval can be suspended or withdrawn. An app that was approved six months ago may be on the watchlist today. Make the check a habit every time you borrow.

What about bank apps and microfinance banks?

Banks and microfinance banks are licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Under the DEON Regulations, CBN-licensed microfinance banks apply to the FCCPC for a waiver from registration, so many of them appear in the Waivers table instead of the Approval table.

If a loan is offered inside a licensed bank’s own app, the bank is supervised by the CBN. You can confirm a bank’s licence on the CBN website, cbn.gov.ng.

What FCCPC approval does NOT mean

Approval is a minimum safety check. It is not a recommendation. An approved app can still:

• charge rates that are too expensive for your budget,
• add processing fees that reduce the amount you actually receive, and
• charge heavy penalties for late repayment.

Always calculate the total cost of a loan, including all fees, before you accept it.

The app is not on the list. What now?

If you have not borrowed yet: do not download it and do not share your BVN, ID or bank details with it. Choose a lender from the approved list instead. You can compare approved loan apps on TopLoans.

If you already have a loan with it:

• Keep copies of your loan agreement, repayment receipts and all messages.
• Repay only through official channels shown in the app. Never repay into a personal bank account sent by chat.
• If you are harassed, threatened, or your contacts are messaged, save screenshots of every message as evidence.
• Report the app to the FCCPC through its complaints portal: complaints.fccpc.gov.ng.

Other warning signs to watch for

Even an app that seems to be listed can be a fake copy. Be careful if an app:

• asks you to pay a fee before it releases your loan,
• asks for access to your contacts, photos or gallery,
• is shared as an APK file on WhatsApp, Telegram or SMS instead of an official app store, or
• does not show the interest rate and fees before you accept.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the official list of FCCPC-approved loan apps?

On the FCCPC website, under Registration of Digital Money Lenders → Approvals of DMLs: fccpc.gov.ng/registration-of-digital-money-lenders/approvals-of-dmls/. It contains separate tables for approved, conditionally approved, watchlisted, delisted and waived lenders.

Is an app on Google Play automatically FCCPC approved?

No. Google Play requires personal loan apps in Nigeria to provide proof of FCCPC approval, but copycat apps still appear, and many fake loan apps are shared outside the store as APK files. Always check the FCCPC list yourself.

What does “watchlist” mean on the FCCPC page?

It means the FCCPC has concerns about how that app or company operates. You should not take a loan from an app on the watchlist.

What is the difference between “delisted” and “watchlist”?

A watchlisted app is under scrutiny. A delisted app has had its approval withdrawn and should not be offering loans at all.

Can I report an unapproved loan app?

Yes. Use the FCCPC complaints portal at complaints.fccpc.gov.ng, or call the FCCPC toll-free line on 0800 000 2121.

Does FCCPC approval mean the interest rate is fair?

Not necessarily. The FCCPC monitors interest rates to make sure they are not exploitative, but approval does not guarantee a low price. Compare the total cost of several approved lenders before you borrow.

Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not financial or legal advice. Lender statuses change frequently, so always confirm on the official FCCPC website before borrowing. TopLoans is a loan comparison website, not a lender, and may receive a commission from some partners. This never changes how we check lender status.

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