Telcos Begin Deduction of USSD Charges from Customer’s Airtime Balance, As Migration of End-user Billing Services is Completed

• Begin implementation

Emma Okonji

Telecoms operators (Telcos) have completed the migration of end-user billing for the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) and have commenced implementation of direct biling of telecoms subscribers that subscribe to the USSD service.
The Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), the umbrella body for all licensed telecoms operators (Telcos), said this in a statement it issued last night.
The statement, which also clarified issues around migration to end-user billing for the USSD service, said the migration took effect today Wednesday.
The statement was co-signed by ALTON’s
Chairman, Gbenga Adebayo and its Publicity Secretary, Damian Udeh.
Following the successful migration, telecoms operators have commenced direct billing of telecoms subscribers that will make use of the USSD service going forward.
According to the statement. “The transition marks a significant milestone in the evolution of Nigeria’s digital financial ecosystem and is being implemented per the Determination of USSD Pricing and Services issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
“To achieve the implementation of the End-User Billing (EUB) model, the CBN and NCC have stipulated that only banks that meet certain regulatory and operational conditions are permitted to migrate. One of which is the notification to customers of the billing change in advance, and to ensure that customers are fully aware of the new airtime-based charges and how they will be applied. Accordingly, under the new billing model, USSD charges will be deducted directly from the customer’s airtime balance, not from their bank account, and each USSD session will attract a charge of ₦6.98 per 120 seconds. To enjoy the service, customers will receive a prompt to opt in and approve the charge before any deduction is made, and there will be no double billing as billing will only occur for successful sessions via airtime deductions.”
ALTON wishes to reiterate that this change does not affect the availability or functionality of USSD banking services, as customers can continue to use their bank’s USSD codes as usual, provided they have sufficient airtime,” the statement further said.
ALTON further explained that alternative digital banking channels such as mobile apps, internet banking, and ATMs, would remain fully operational and available for customer convenience. ALTON also reiterated its commitment to working closely with the NCC, CBN, financial institutions, and other stakeholders to ensure that the transition is seamless, equitable, and beneficial to all parties, especially the end users.