Nigeria’s main telecom operators have warned they might cease supporting USSD banking providers on account of what they described as deliberate misinformation by banks.
The telecom companies, MTN Nigeria, Airtel, Globacom and 9Mobile, are reacting to a discover despatched out by banks on Wednesday, June 3, informing prospects that the Nigerian Communications Fee (NCC) had directed a brand new billing methodology for USSD transactions. In response to the banks, charges would now be deducted from customers’ airtime as an alternative of instantly from their {bank} accounts.
The message said: “In step with the directive of the Nigerian Communications Fee (NCC), please learn that efficient June 3, 2025, fees for USSD banking providers will now not be deducted out of your {bank account}.
“Going ahead, these fees will likely be deducted instantly out of your cellular airtime stability in accordance with the NCC’s Finish-Consumer Billing (EUB) mannequin.
“Beneath this new billing construction, every USSD session will appeal to a cost of ₦6.98 per 120 seconds, which will likely be billed by your cellular community operator.
“You’ll obtain a consent immediate initially of every session, and airtime will solely be deducted upon your affirmation and availability of the {bank} to fulfil this service.
“If you don’t want to proceed utilizing USSD banking beneath this new mannequin, it’s possible you’ll select to discontinue use of the USSD channel.”
Nevertheless, telecoms beneath the Affiliation of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) have pushed again, accusing banks of twisting the info to serve their very own pursuits.
READ ALSO: NCC Orders Banks to Deduct USSD Expenses From Prospects’ Airtime
Chairman of ALTON, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, mentioned: “I don’t perceive why the banks are twisting agreements and distorting info simply to favour their egocentric pursuits.
“Within the first place, the data wasn’t a directive from the NCC however a joint regulatory settlement between the NCC and the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, witnessed by the telcos and the banks.
“The settlement was that if the banks lastly cleared all USSD money owed owed to the telcos by June 2, 2025, they’re free emigrate to the end-user billing methodology, as long as the mannequin of migration is clear and agreed upon by the telcos.”, he advised Vanguard.
He defined that the clause was meant to forestall double billing, the place customers are charged each from airtime and {bank} accounts.
“As we communicate, among the banks have cleared their money owed, however the majority are but to take action. So, even when all of the modalities of migrating to end-user billing have been completely carried out, the implementation can not even start as a result of the banks are but to clear the USSD debt owed to the telcos.”
“Our place now’s that if that’s the manner the banks wish to deal with the settlement, we could withdraw assist for his or her USSD providers. It isn’t vital. They’ll do with out it. However, they need to clear the money owed as agreed,” he added.
This rising pressure revives the long-standing friction between telcos and banks over USSD charges, a dispute that earlier this 12 months concerned threats of disconnection and debt restoration efforts.
