Banks settle 95% of N180bn USSD debt, end-user billing begins
BY MOTOLANI OSENI
Commercial banks in Nigeria have cleared 95 per cent of the N180 billion debt owed telecom operators for Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) services, paving the way for the implementation of end-user billing.
Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Engr. Gbenga Adebayo disclosed this during a virtual media briefing on Thursday. He noted that only three banks are yet to complete their payments, having negotiated instalment plans and now owing just a final tranche.
The clearance of the bulk of the debt, which had stalled progress for months, has enabled telecom operators to begin migrating to an end-user billing system. Under the new framework, customers will now be charged directly from their mobile airtime for USSD services instead of from their bank accounts.
Adebayo explained that one major bank has already been migrated, with initial trials yielding positive results, while other banks are being transitioned. However, he clarified that migration is optional, and banks that choose not to adopt the new system must ensure they fully settle their debts to telecom operators while continuing to deduct from customer accounts under the old model.
READ ALSO: Dodoma Ring Road Named After AfDB Icon Akinwumi Adesina
He warned customers to report any double billing, stressing that once charges are applied to airtime, there should be no deductions from their bank accounts. Adebayo said any such issue should be directed to the banks.
MTN Nigeria’s Chief Enterprise Business Officer, Lynda Saint-Nwafor, confirmed that the shift to airtime billing will not affect the USSD rate, which remains at N6.98 per 120-second session. She said telecoms operators are committed to transparency and will regularly submit performance reports to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), including standardised error messages.
The migration to end-user billing follows a recent directive from the NCC based on its USSD Pricing and Services Determination developed in consultation with the Central Bank of Nigeria and other stakeholders. ALTON says the shift aims to establish a sustainable and transparent framework for delivering USSD services in Nigeria’s expanding digital financial ecosystem.
