By Zakariyya Adaramola
Customers of deposit money banks (DMBs) across Nigeria have expressed outrage following a new policy mandating that charges for Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) banking services be deducted directly from users’ mobile airtime, rather than from their bank accounts.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed banks to implement the change as part of its End-User Billing (EUB) model, which became effective on Monday, June 3, 2025.
According to a customer notification from United Bank for Africa (UBA), the directive means that “charges for USSD banking services will no longer be deducted from your bank account.” Instead, deductions will now be made directly from customers’ mobile airtime balances.
Under this revised billing arrangement, each USSD session will attract a fee of ₦6.98 per 120 seconds, which will be billed by the user’s mobile network provider. Customers will receive a consent prompt before each session, and airtime will only be deducted after confirmation and availability of bank services.
UBA further advised customers who do not wish to continue using USSD under this model to discontinue the service and consider alternative digital platforms such as mobile apps and internet banking.
Similarly, First City Monument Bank (FCMB) issued a notice to its customers confirming the implementation of the same billing change.
Consumer Outrage and Fears of Double Charges
Despite the NCC’s directive, subscribers have expressed concerns over possible double charges and the inconvenience of airtime deductions. Deolu Ogunbanjo, President of the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers of Nigeria (NATCOMS), warned that subscribers would strongly oppose any attempt to impose additional financial burdens through dual billing.
He expressed fears that banks may still find a way to continue deducting funds from customers’ bank accounts in addition to the new airtime-based charges.
“The Nigerian telecom subscribers will resist any attempt to double charge them for the USSD service,” Ogunbanjo said.
Regulatory Silence Raises Questions
Although NCC did not respond to media enquiries at the time of this report, sources indicate the commission has been in discussions with stakeholders since February to resolve issues surrounding the ₦250 billion USSD debt crisis between banks and mobile network operators.
The December 2024 resolution by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the NCC had tasked MNOs and banks to find a sustainable solution to the debt, which led to the shift to end-user billing.
As the new policy rolls out, many subscribers remain wary of the implications for accessibility and cost of mobile banking services, especially for low-income users heavily reliant on USSD platforms.
