MTN subscribers suffer USSD restriction as banks shut services
By Idris Bakare
The lingering crisis between Nigeria’s financial institutions and the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) over a debt of N42 billion owned the MNOs for USSD services have assumed a new dimension as Nigerian banks suspended the services on the MTN Nigeria network.
Already, MTN subscribers in a chart with SlyeNews are complaining the inability to initiate transfers through the USSD services.
Speaking with our correspondent, a subscriber, Mr. Olaniyi Raimi claimed that he was unable to access the Bank USSD code to purchase airtime.
Another customer, Mr Alade Olaniyi claimed to have suffered the same fate, pleading for the concerned entities to resolve the matter amicably in the interest of subscribers.
The mobile telephone operators had threatened to shut down the telecoms services they offer to banks and other financial institutions if the debt of telecoms services owned them worth N48 billion was not paid urgently.
The MNOs through their umbrella body, Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) gave the warning notifying the banks of their readiness to disconnect debtor Financial Service Providers (FSPs) from unstructured supplementary service data(USSD ) services, until they liquidate the debt.
But the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami summoned a meeting between the warring parties that was to give way for final payment plan.
However, Head of Operations at ALTON, Mr. Gbolahan Awonuga in chat with our correspondent said that the banks seem not willing to pay the debts which was long overdue.
It gathered that the banks were more willing to cut off services to Nigerians customers in order to protect their profits which have continued to increase quarterly.
Reacting to questions as to why the telecoms operator allow the debts to accrue to such a huge amount of N42 billion before raising the alarm, the source said that the telcos allowed the debts to accrue to ensure that telecoms services bank customers remain up, the directive from the Minister to put off the planned suspension obeyed.
“Banks have tried to remove the cost of using USSD, but are willing to cut off subscribers to protect their own fees earned through the channel”, the source said.
It was further gathered that the banks want to surreptitiously factor the debts into a new price regime that was agreed at the meeting with the Minister and the Central Bank of Nigeria officials so that customers will unknowingly help them pay what they had already billed them.
The development, it was learnt prompted the suspension of the USSD services by some banks starting with MTN has the largest number of subscribers in the industry.
The source said that the decision to start with MTN Nigeria was obvious adding that “the overnight suspension of airtime sales by some of the banks is not restricted to USSD channels alone, but includes airtime purchases through all banking channels – bank apps, bank USSD codes, even debit cards.
“If our own regulator is as protective of us as the CBN is to the banks, they won’t be able to have the type of field day they are presently having.”
