The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed telecom companies to disconnect the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) codes assigned to nine financial institutions over unpaid debts.
The directive, issued by NCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka, mandates the banks to clear outstanding debts by January 27, 2025, or risk permanent loss of access to their USSD codes.
Nine banks, including Fidelity Bank, Zenith Bank, and UBA, owe debts that have remained unsettled since 2020. The total amount originally exceeded ₦200 billion, although the NCC did not disclose the current balance.
USSD codes like 770, 919, and 822 may be reassigned to other applicants if the debts remain unresolved, potentially disrupting customer access.
The NCC stressed the banks’ failure to comply with a joint directive from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the commission issued in December 2024.
The suspension could affect millions, as data from the CBN showed 252.06 million USSD transactions worth ₦2.19 trillion occurred between January and June 2024.
The Commission reassured consumers that the affected banks were given sufficient notice and urged them to prepare for possible service disruptions.
