The amendment was necessitated following a protracted dispute between Mobile Network Operators and Financial Institutions on the applicable charges for USSD services and the method of billing.
The USSD channel has evolved over time from a telco-exclusive channel used for only telco services such as balance inquiry and recharges to a channel for the deployment of a broad spectrum of services, including financial, insurance, agricultural, government services and more.
The revised price floor and the cap to allow the Mobile Network Operators and the banks negotiate rates will be mutually beneficial to all parties concerned. The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, had directed a review of the USSD pricing by all parties involved. This was following a presentation made by the Commission on the billing structure, determination of USSD pricing, its status, and the way forward.
“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,” he said.
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