Unstructured Supplementary Service Data, USSD, pricing: NCC revises determination on USSD pricing, gives reasons

The
Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, has given
reasons for the review of Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC,
Determination on Unstructured Supplementary Service Data, USSD, pricing.

Pantami
said the review was in furtherance of NCC’s mandate to protect the interests of
consumers and support a robust telecommunications sector in the country.

The
minister made the remark during a presentation on USSD pricing and billing and
was contained in a statement by NCC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Dr.
Ikechukwu Adinde.

According
to the statement, the lingering dispute between mobile network operators and
financial institutions over USSD charges and billing method necessitated the
review.

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Pantami
said: “USSD is a service to banks and not to the Telecom Consumers, and as
such, banks should see themselves as corporate customers of telecom operators
with a duty to pay for using the telecom network and infrastructure, including
USSD channels extended to them for service delivery to their customers.

Mobile
Network Operators (MNOs) have no direct relationship to bank customers, and
cannot, therefore, charge directly for usage of USSD channel.