The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has granted approval to Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to disconnect Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) codes assigned to financial institutions that remain indebted to the operators.
The NCC said on Wednesday in a statement signed by its Director, Public Affairs, Mr. Reuben Muoka, and made available to Digital TimesNG, that this action will take effect if outstanding invoices are not settled by Monday, January 27, 2025.
The telecom regulatory body, in line with its mandate to safeguard consumer interests, informs the public that access to USSD platforms provided by affected financial institutions may be disrupted starting January 27, 2025.
The Commission added that it will also recover such USSD codes and may reassign them to other applicants as per its Guidelines on Short Code Operation in Nigeria, 2023.
As of Tuesday, January 14, 2025, the Commission identified nine financial institutions that have significantly failed to comply with the directives outlined in the Second Joint Circular issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the NCC on December 20, 2024.
The non-compliance has also rendered these institutions ineligible to meet the “Good Standing” requirements necessary for the renewal of their USSD codes.
The affected Financial Institutions and 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 NCC reiterates that these financial institutions have been duly notified and urged to comply immediately to avoid disruptions.
This development underscores the NCC’s commitment to ensuring fair practices and consumer protection within the telecommunications sector.