As of June 18, telecom operators began deducting N6.98 per 120 seconds ($0.0045) from users\u2019 airtime balances for USSD access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The change was confirmed in a joint statement by Gbenga Adebayo<\/strong>, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, and Damian Udeh<\/strong>, the association\u2019s Publicity Secretary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUSSD services play a vital role in expanding access to financial services, particularly for unbanked and underbanked populations,\u201d Adebayo said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHowever, 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He noted that customers would receive a prompt to opt-in and approve the charge before deduction, and billing would only occur for successful sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Nigeria, many betting platforms and sportsbooks depend on USSD for wallet top-ups, account verification, and reaching users with data access. With direct charges now affecting every USSD interaction, players who rely on data or airtime for transactions may hesitate to proceed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The move could see casino operators <\/strong>moving toward app based and web based payment options or offer airtime-linked bonuses to absorb part of the user\u2019s cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While the functionality of USSD banking services <\/strong>remains unchanged, users must now ensure they have sufficient airtime to complete transactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The move comes after the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)<\/strong>, in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) <\/strong>and key stakeholders, rolled out the End User Billing (EUB)<\/strong> model. This game changing directive shifts the cost of USSD services from banks, who were previously stuck with a staggering N250 billion ($169m) debt, directly onto consumers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The direct USSD billing model is expected to bring long-term stability to telecom and financial systems. But for digital platforms, the challenge now is maintaining seamless, low-cost user access in a market where every second counts and costs.<\/p>\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/05\/0x0-300x200.jpg\")
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