USSD: Subscribers call on NCC to rescind directive to banks
The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers of Nigeria (NATCOMS) has called on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to rescind on its directive to deposit money banks (DMBs) in the country to stop deducting charges for unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) transactions directly from customers’ bank accounts. The telecom regulator had recently directed that USSD charges […]
The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers of Nigeria (NATCOMS) has called on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to rescind on its directive to deposit money banks (DMBs) in the country to stop deducting charges for unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) transactions directly from customers’ bank accounts.
The telecom regulator had recently directed that USSD charges should now be directly deducted from users’ mobile airtime so that it would be credited to telecom operators.
Banks, in email messages to some of their customers last week confirmed this development, though NCC hasn’t officially confirmed it.
“In line with the directive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), please be informed that effective June 3, 2025, charges for USSD banking services will no longer be deducted from your bank account,” the message from one of the banks, reads.
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“Going forward, these charges will be deducted directly from your mobile airtime balance in accordance with the NCC’s End-User Billing (EUB) model.
“Under this new billing structure, each USSD session will attract a charge of n6.98 per 120 seconds, which will be billed by your mobile network operator.
“You will receive a consent prompt at the start of each session, and airtime will only be deducted upon your confirmation and availability of the bank to fulfil this service.
“If you do not wish to continue using USSD banking under this new model, you may choose to discontinue use of the USSD channel.”
The bank said customers can continue using other digital banking options and internet banking platforms for convenience.
NCC’s acting director of public affairs, Mrs Nnena Ukoha, hasn’t responded to this reporter’s enquiry as of the time of filing this report.
But a telecom right group, the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers of Nigeria (NATCOMS), yesterday called on NCC to rescind its directive on USSD charges, saying it won’t be at the subscribers’ benefit.
The NATCOMS’ president, Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, who spoke with Daily Trust on phone on Monday, urged the telecom industry regulator to do more to protect subscribers’ interest rather than expose them to industry sharks.
Ogunbanjo said the NCC directive would certainly add to the plight of Nigerian telecom subscribers and further widen the Internet access gap in the country.
The NATCOMS boss said Nigerian telecom subscribers would resist any attempt to double charge them for the USSD service.
However, analysts said the directive may be another move by NCC to address the historical USSD payment conflict between mobile network operators (MNOs) and commercial banks.
In December 2024, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the NCC directed mobile network operators (MNOs) and DMBs to resolve the long-standing N250 billion USSD debt.
Following threats by telcos to withdraw services over the debt accumulated by banks, the NCC, in January, threatened to suspend the USSD service and publish a list of banks still owing telcos.
On January 15, the regulator directed telcos to disconnect the USSD codes assigned to nine banks by January 27 due to unpaid debts.
On February 28, MTN Nigeria said it received N32 billion — out of N72 billion — from banks as part of payment for the USSD debt.