FG orders MTN, others to suspend planned USSD charges

Nigerian government on Sunday ordered the immediate suspension of the proposed Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) charges on customers who uses them.

A few telecommunications network service providers sent notices to their customers of the new charge.

“Please note that from Oct 21, we will charge N4 per 20 seconds for USSD access to banking services. Thank you,” a notification sent by MTN to customers read.

The development has generated mixed reactions on social media with several customers kicking against it.

However, the minister of communication Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami has claimed ignorant of the development, hence, he ordered its suspension until his office his briefed.

“The office of the Honourable Minister of Communications Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami FNCS, FBCS, FIIM is unaware of this development and has hereby directed the sector regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) ensures the operator suspends such plans until the Honourable Minister is fully and properly briefed,” Pantami’s spokesman Uwa Suleiman said in statement.