Starting from 3 June 2025, Nigerians who use USSD codes for banking transactions will now have the charges deducted directly from their mobile airtime, not their bank accounts.
This change follows a directive by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) as part of its End-User Billing (EUB) model aimed at clarifying the burden of USSD transaction costs and ensuring more transparency for telecom subscribers.
According to a notice sent out by United Bank for Africa (UBA) to its customers on Tuesday, banks will no longer handle USSD charge deductions. Instead, these fees will now be billed by mobile network operators and paid for via users’ airtime.
“In line with the directive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), please be informed that effective June 3, 2025, charges for USSD banking services will no longer be deducted from your bank account,” UBA stated in the email it sent to its customers.
The bank explained that “going forward, these charges will be deducted directly from your mobile airtime balance in accordance with the NCC’s End-User Billing (EUB) model.”
Under this model, each USSD session will now attract a flat fee of ₦6.98 per 120 seconds. The customer will be prompted to give consent before airtime is deducted, and the fee will only apply if the bank is available to deliver the service at the time.
“You will receive a consent prompt at the start of each session, and airtime will only be deducted upon your confirmation and availability of the bank to fulfil this service,” the bank added.
Customers who may no longer wish to use the USSD option are advised to explore other platforms. “If you do not wish to continue using USSD banking under this new model, you may choose to discontinue use of the USSD channel,” UBA stated, recommending its mobile app and internet banking as alternatives.
The NCC has not yet issued a public statement on the implementation timeline.
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