NCC okays disconnection of USSD services for banks over N120bn debt – Telecom operators

Telecommunications Operators in Nigeria say they have been granted approval by the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, to disconnect banks over N120 billion Unstructured Supplementary Service Data, USSD, debt.

This was made known in a statement signed by Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, ALTON, on Friday in Lagos.

He said that Mobile Network Operators, MNOs, would disconnect banks if they failed to pay the debt owed.

Mr Adebayo said that the approval was granted because in spite of the multi-party stakeholder efforts to resolve the situation and prevent any impact on services, banks continued to incur greater debt, without making the commensurate payments.

He said members of the public would recall that MNOs and banks had protracted disagreements concerning the appropriate USSD pricing model for financial transactions, transparency of charges, mode of collection and liability for payment of the outstanding and continuous service fees due to the MNOs.

“Due to the inability of MNOs and banks to reach an agreement on the issues, MNOs in 2021 sought to disconnect banks due to the unpaid debts which stood at N42 billion as at that time.

“However, the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, intervened and asked the MNOs not to disconnect banks as the action will negatively impact on the digital and financial inclusion policy of the Federal Government.

“Unfortunately, the patriotic intervention of the minister and the NCC have been taken for granted by the banks, as two years after, the banks have failed to sign a final agreement,” he said.

Mr Adebayo noted that It was pertinent to note that the contract between MNOs and banks on the use of USSDs for banking transactions was strictly commercial and MNOs were at liberty to withdraw the services if the transaction was unprofitable to them.

He noted that MNOs have invested billions of naira in expanding their systems to accommodate the USSD needs of banks over the years.

Mr Adebayo said this had resulted in more Nigerians having access to banking services in addition to enabling banks to trim down costs by requiring less branches to service their growing customers.

He said that unfortunately, MNOs were not getting paid for their services and the debt that stood at N42 billion in 2021 had now risen to over N120 billion.

“It is obvious that the level of debt is unsustainable given the time or value of the huge cost of the continuous upgrade, operation of the systems and infrastructure dedicated to supporting USSD transactions of banks.

“In view of the foregoing, unless banks meet their debt obligations, MNOs will disconnect all banks indebted to them for USSD services rendered,” Mr Adebayo said.

https://dailynigerian.com/ncc-okays-disconnection-ussd/

When dem wan disconnect am, make dem let me know

Why banks no pay now. We customers get charged every month and on every transaction from both side so where is the money going ?

I think it's time I stop reading Nigeria news cos it's just annoying

Could this be the primary reason I cannot effect transfer on my FBN since yesterday.

Anytime they start their news i will just switch to music channel

Please disconnect it.

If they charge each customer the way they do every now and then, they should pay.

What a whooping sum!!

The USSD is very handy for use, they should please resolve the issue without terminating anything...

Nigeria is shithole

Chai..

Another shithole hullabaloo loading for the masses.

APC and debt

Damn

madridguy:
Could this be the primary reason I cannot effect transfer on my FBN since yesterday.

I had to use a POS and pay extra just to get money across, a real shame

These banks are selfish!!!

Late

Banks should pay their debt na😒

Nigerian banks are thieves and very greedy. Minimum charge on ussd transfer is #10. Why not give network providers #3 and take the rest? Why the greed

madridguy:
Could this be the primary reason I cannot effect transfer on my FBN since yesterday.

Fbn has been misbehaving since yesterday, I noticed

madridguy:
Could this be the primary reason I cannot effect transfer on my FBN since yesterday.

Even their APPLICATION isn't working till now, first bank is terrible when it's comes to online transactions

These bankers should pay what they owe joor. They collect their charges instantly, so why are they not remitting to Telcoms

GREED

Again?

I can't even remember the last time I used my bank ussd code.
I prefer the Bank App

But they are already charging us for this na

Rootprof:
Why banks no pay now. We customers get charged every month and on every transaction from both side so where is the money going ?

I think it's time I stop reading Nigeria news cos it's just annoying

Banks are thieves. Zenith Bank is the worst out of the four banks I am using. They charge us. Our accounts are debited, yet, the banks refused to settle telecom operators. It is unfair.

The banks should refund it's customers all they have been deducting. What fuckry?
They charge customers monthly and refuse to pay ncc. Rogues.

Nigeria still remains a big crime scene

Everybody just dey owe for this contraption!

President is owing generational debt to several nations!

Governors are owing more money than some nations!

Companies and homes are owing TCN electricity payments!

Now, banks are owing Telecom companies!


... What's up with this debt culture of this third world contraption?!!

Don't mind the thiefs

chatinent:
Please disconnect it.

If they charge each customer the way they do every now and then, they should pay.

I think it's high time first Bank is called out for their poor services in recent time.

Since four days ago, you can only receive fund but can't transfer same in all their payment channels including ussd, and bank application.

It's really annoying, hope they are not going the way of zenith Bank?

Access bank pls pay up. Ina dey deduct 250 officially from me monthly. then 19 naira per transaction from me. Thieves in suit

All the deductions bank does and yet dem no fit pay.

It is well oo