GTB, Access, Zenith, UBA Other Banks Announce USSD Update That Impacts All Customers' Accounts

• Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) has announced that it has started charging customers for USSD services through their airtime
• The new method aligns with directives from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)
• There are strong expectations that this new billing model will help resolve the long-standing debt dispute between banks and telecom operators

Legit.ng journalist Dave Ibemere has over a decade of experience in business journalism, with in-depth knowledge of the Nigerian economy, stocks, and general market trends.

Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) has alerted its customers that the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) fee of N6.98 will no longer be deducted from their bank accounts.

The lender noted that the charge will now be deducted from customers’ airtime balances, ending the long-standing practice of debiting bank accounts for the service.

In text messages sent early Wednesday, June 18, the lender informed customers that the new billing model takes effect immediately.

The bank said.

“Dear Customer, please be informed that effective 18 June 2025, the N6.98 USSD fee will be deducted from your airtime balance, no longer from your bank account."

GTB, Other banks obey NCC

The move brings GTBank in line with other deposit money banks that have adopted the airtime-deduction model mandated by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The NCC in early June directed deposit money banks (DMBs) to stop deducting charges for USSD transactions directly from customers’ accounts.

Other banks have also notified customers via email that charges will now be deducted from their mobile airtime.

USSD debt

For over four years, telecom operators have clashed with banks over unpaid USSD service charges, which telcos claim amount to tens of billions of naira.

In March 2021, the NCC and CBN introduced a flat N6.98 per USSD session to streamline billing and avert service disruptions.

Despite the regulatory framework, disputes lingered over who should collect and remit the charges.

With the change, customers must now ensure sufficient airtime is available before initiating USSD transactions, including balance checks, transfers, and bill payments.

Telcos confirm the changes

The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has confirmed the commencement of airtime-based billing for USSD transactions.

In a statement on Wednesday, ALTON Chairman Gbenga Adebayo said the new model enables mobile network operators to deduct N6.98 per 120 seconds directly from customers’ airtime balances for USSD sessions.

He explained that users would receive a prompt to opt in and approve the charge before any deduction is made, and billing would only apply to successful sessions, Cable reports.

Adebayo assured that the transition would not disrupt the availability or functionality of USSD banking services, noting that customers can continue using their bank’s USSD codes as long as they have sufficient airtime.

His words:

“USSD services play a vital role in expanding access to financial services, particularly for unbanked and underbanked populations,.

“However, the previous corporate billing model where banks were billed by telecom operators led to prolonged disputes over unpaid charges, service interruptions and uncertainty for customers."

9 states suffer telecom network outage

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that about nine Nigerian states suffered network disruptions in the first week of June 2025 due to multiple fibre cuts.

This is according to data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) live incident portal.

The disruptions affected the four major operators, including Airtel, MTN, 9Mobile, and Glo.

Source: Legit.ng