The Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), the umbrella body for all licensed telecoms operators (Telcos) has stated that migration to end-user billing for the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) took effect yesterday.

Following the successful migration, telecoms operators have commenced direct billing of telecoms subscribers who will make use of the USSD service, going forward.

This was disclosed in a statement co-signed by its Chairman, Gbenga Adebayo and its Publicity Secretary, Damian Udeh.

According to the statement, the transition marked a significant milestone in the evolution of Nigeria’s digital financial ecosystem and was being implemented per the Determination of USSD Pricing and Services issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

The determination was developed in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other key stakeholders to ensure a sustainable, transparent, and customer-friendly framework for USSD service delivery.

USSD services play a vital role in expanding access to financial services, particularly for unbanked and underbanked populations. However, 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.

To address these challenges, the NCC’s 2025 Determination introduced the End-User Billing model, which allows mobile network operators to charge customers directly for USSD sessions.

According to the statement, “To achieve the implementation of the EUB model, the CBN and NCC have stipulated that only banks that meet certain regulatory and operational conditions are permitted to migrate.

“One of which is the notification to customers of the billing change in advance, and to ensure that customers are fully aware of the new airtime-based charges and how they will be applied.

“Accordingly, under the new billing model, USSD charges will be deducted directly from the customer’s airtime balance, not from their bank account, and each USSD session will attract a charge of N6.98 per 120 seconds.

“To enjoy the service, customers will receive a prompt to opt in and approve the charge before any deduction is made, and there will be no double billing as billing will only occur for successful sessions via airtime deductions. “ALTON wishes to reiterate that this change does not affect the availability or functionality of USSD banking services, as customers can continue to use their bank’s USSD codes as usual, provided they have sufficient airtime,” it stated.

To ensure a smooth transition, ALTON advised customers to follow certain support guidelines, which include: For access issues (e.g., inability to dial USSD codes), contact your mobile network operator; For transaction-related issues (e.g., failed transfers or service errors), contact your bank’s customer service; Both banks and mobile network operators are required to provide responsive support and ensure that customers can access and use USSD services without disruption.

ALTON further explained that alternative digital banking channels such as mobile apps, internet banking, and ATMs, would remain fully operational and available for customer convenience. ALTON also reiterated its commitment to working closely with the NCC, CBN, financial institutions, and other stakeholders to ensure that the transition is seamless, equitable, and beneficial to all parties, especially the end users.