Customers who use unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) channels to access banking services would have to pay new charges from October 21.
Some telecommunications network service providers have sent notices to their customers of the new charge.
“Please note that from Oct 21, we will charge N4 per 20 seconds for access to banking services. Thank you,” a notification sent by MTN to customers read.
Banking services were introduced on USSD channels to ensure easier access to banking services.
Before now, telcos charged customers per USSD session. This charge differed across networks with the highest being N20 per session.
However, this new charge would mean that customers will be charged N12 for every minute spent on the USSD channel.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Minister of Communication, Dr Isa Ibrahim Pantami, has said that he was not aware of an alleged plan by MTN Nigeria to start charging N4 for USSD service beginning from Monday, October 21.
Therefore, the Federal Ministry of Communications has ordered the discontinuation of the idea by MTN or any other telecoms service provider in the country according to a Twitter statement
Since the announcement by MTN, many Nigerians have taken to social media to express their displeasure on the new USSD fee. Below are some of their tweets.
