By JKNewsMedia
CUSTOMERS USING the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) banking services will now have charges deducted from their mobile airtime balances instead of bank accounts, following a directive from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The move enforces the NCC’s End-User Billing (EUB) model, which stipulates that network operators, not banks, should deduct the fees directly.
Promptly, the affected banks have begun notifying customers ahead of the implementation deadline.
One such notification stated that “from 3 June 2025, all USSD banking charges would shift to mobile airtime, ensuring customers are billed ₦6.98 per 120-second session by their telecom provider.”
A statement issued notes that the transaction will only proceed upon customer consent and confirmation from the bank’s end.
The NCC’s directive is notably aimed at standardising billing responsibility and remove banking institutions from the direct fee collection process.
It adds that customers will receive a consent prompt at the beginning of each session, with airtime only deducted if the session is confirmed and completed successfully.
Also, banks have assured customers that they retain access to other digital channels, including mobile apps and online banking platforms.
In the same breadth, users who do not wish to continue with the USSD channel under the new billing model have been advised to discontinue its use.
NCC also states that the regulator’s policy is expected to provide greater transparency and control for consumers while streamlining service charges through mobile network operators.
