The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has approved the withdrawal of Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) services from financial institutions that fail to settle outstanding debts owed to Mobile Network Operators (MNOs).
According to the NCC, affected banks have until Monday, January 27, 2025, to clear their invoices or risk losing access to their USSD codes.
In a statement dated January 15, 2025, the NCC disclosed that it will recover the USSD codes assigned to defaulting financial institutions and reassign them to other applicants as stipulated by its regulations. This action follows the banks’ inability to comply with a directive issued through a joint circular by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the NCC on December 20, 2024.
The circular outlined guidelines for the settlement of outstanding payments, some of which have been pending since 2020. Non-compliance with these directives also disqualifies the banks from meeting the “Good Standing” requirements necessary for the renewal of their USSD codes.
The affected banks and their USSD codes include:
- Fidelity Bank Plc – 770
- First City Monument Bank (FCMB) – 329
- Jaiz Bank Plc – 773
- Polaris Bank Limited – 833
- Sterling Bank Limited – 822
- United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc – 919
- Unity Bank Plc – 7799
- Wema Bank Plc – 945
- Zenith Bank Plc – 966
The NCC has also cautioned consumers that, beginning January 27, 2025, they may experience disruptions when trying to access USSD platforms of the listed financial institutions.
This development is part of the Commission’s efforts to protect consumer interests and ensure adherence to its 2023 Guidelines on Short Code Operation in Nigeria. The NCC reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining transparency and enforcing regulations in the telecommunications and financial sectors.
The Commission urges the affected financial institutions to settle their debts promptly to avoid service disruptions and ensure continued access to their USSD platforms for their customers.
