UBA, FCMB, Zenith, six others face disconnection from USSD platform over debts
Telecommunications companies in Nigeria have been ordered to restrict nine banks from accessing the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) codes, assigned to them.
The Director of Public Affairs for the Nigerian Communications Commission, Reuben Muoka, in a statement on Friday, said the nine banks must pay their outstanding USSD debts before January 27, 2025, when the directive will take effect.
The affected banks include: Fidelity Bank (770), First City Monument Bank (329), Jaiz Bank (773), Polaris Bank Limited (833), Sterling Bank Limited (832), United Bank for Africa (919), Unity Bank (7799), Wema Bank (945), and Zenith Bank (966).
It read, “Nigerian Communications Commission hereby notifies members of the public that it is grunting approval to Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to disconnect Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) Codes assigned by the Commission to financial institutions which are indebted to the MNOs if such institutions do not settle the outstanding invoices by Monday, January 27, 2025.”
“The commission will thereafter recover such codes and may reassign them to other applicants in accordance with the applicable instruments. In fulfilment of its consumer protection mandate, the commission wishes to inform consumers that they may be unable to access the USSD platform of the affected financial institutions from January 27, 2025.”
The NCC said, as of Tuesday, only nine out of 18 financial institutions failed to comply with the directives in the Second Joint Circular of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the commission dated December 20, 2024, to settle outstanding invoices due to MNOS, some since 2020.
It stated, “The financial institutions’ failure to comply with the CBN-NCC joint circular also means that they are unable to meet the good standing requirements for the renewal of the USSD codes assigned to them by the commission.”
According to the statement, the affected financial institutions have been notified of their urgent need to immediately comply with the commission’s guidelines on Short Code Operation in Nigeria 2023.
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette
Agriculture
FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology
The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices
Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”
World
Europe’s Record-breaking Heat: UN warns climate disasters becoming more destructive
UN weather agency warned that climate disasters are becoming more destructive as Europe experiences a record-breaking heatwave, with temperatures topping 43°C in western France.
Hot news Home top
Once revolution starts in Osun, Tinubu declaring state of emergency won’t work, Gov Adeleke warns
“There is what they call a revolution. If it starts in Osun and someone says he is declaring a state of emergency, it will not work,” said Mr Adeleke.
Sport
IAEA completes critical repairs at Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant
The nuclear plant is still staffed by Ukrainian personnel despite Russian control.
Sport
2026 World Cup: U.S., Australia qualify for round of 32
In the group’s other final fixture at Levi’s Stadium, played simultaneously in California, Paraguay and Australia drew blanks to secure a point apiece.
Politics
Tinubu mourns ex-lawmaker Adeniyi, lauds democratic footprints
Mr Adeniyi, a former senator who represented Ekiti South senatorial district between 2011 and 2015, died at 75.
