The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has approved the disconnection of nine banks from the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) platform over unresolved debts owed to Mobile Network Operators (MNOs).
In a statement released by the NCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Reuben Mouka, the affected banks were given until Monday, January 27, 2025, to clear their outstanding invoices. Failure to comply will lead to the recovery of their USSD codes, which may be reassigned to other applicants in accordance with NCC regulations.
The banks and their respective USSD codes are:
- Fidelity Bank Plc (770)
- First City Monument Bank (329)
- Jaiz Bank Plc (773)
- Polaris Bank Limited (833)
- Sterling Bank Limited (822)
- United Bank for Africa Plc (919)
- Unity Bank Plc (7799)
- Wema Bank Plc (945)
- Zenith Bank Plc (966)
The statement further noted that some of the debts date back to 2020. Despite directives issued in a joint circular by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the NCC on December 20, 2024, the affected banks have failed to meet the required standards for renewing their USSD codes.
“The Nigerian Communications Commission hereby notifies members of the public that it is granting approval to Mobile Network Operators to disconnect USSD codes assigned to financial institutions which are indebted to the MNOs, should they fail to settle their outstanding invoices by January 27, 2025,” the statement read.
Consumers were also cautioned that they may experience interruptions in accessing USSD services provided by these banks after the deadline. The NCC reiterated its commitment to consumer protection and adherence to its 2023 Guidelines on Short Code Operation in Nigeria.
