Telecommunications operators in Nigeria have announced that mobile subscribers will start paying directly for USSD services through their airtime, effective June 18, 2025.
This move marks a formal migration to the End-User Billing (EUB) model, as directed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) made the announcement, overriding earlier notices from some banks that claimed the deduction would start on June 3.
Under the new arrangement, USSD session charges will be deducted directly from users’ airtime at a rate of N6.98 per 120 seconds.
Customers will receive a prompt to opt-in before the charge is applied, and only successful sessions will be billed. This aims to eliminate double billing and improve customer experience.
ALTON emphasized that this migration will create a more sustainable, transparent, and customer-friendly framework for delivering USSD services.
Banks are required to notify their customers about the change in billing well in advance and educate them on how charges will be applied. ALTON has issued support guidelines to ensure a seamless transition, including contacting mobile network providers for issues accessing USSD codes and reaching out to banks for transaction errors.
Both telecom operators and banks are mandated to provide responsive customer support.
This change follows a long-standing dispute between banks and telecom operators over USSD debt, with the Central Bank of Nigeria and NCC directing mobile network operators and banks to resolve the N250 billion debt.
The NCC had threatened to suspend USSD services and publish a list of banks still owing telecom operators.
