Starting June 3, 2025, Nigerians using USSD codes for banking services will have transaction fees deducted directly from their mobile airtime, not their bank accounts.
This change, directed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), was confirmed in a customer notice from the United Bank for Africa on Tuesday. Under the new arrangement, each USSD session will cost ₦6.98 per 120 seconds, to be billed by mobile network operators.
Customers will receive a prompt requesting their consent before charges are applied. If a user declines or the service isn’t available, no airtime will be deducted.
UBA advised customers who prefer not to use USSD under this model to explore other digital banking channels.
This policy is part of NCC’s efforts to resolve lingering disputes over unpaid USSD fees between telecom companies and commercial banks, a conflict that has dragged on for years, with telecoms threatening service suspension over mounting debts.
