Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) will join other banks in implementing a new billing model for Unstructured Supplementary Service Data banking transactions on Wednesday (today).
According to a notification provided to subscribers by GTBank, the N6.98 transaction fee would be collected from airtime balances rather than bank accounts beginning today, June 18, 2025.
“Dear Customer, please be informed that effective 18 June 2025, the N6.98 USSD fee will be deducted from your airtime balance, no longer from your bank account. “Thank you,” the GTBank message read.
This development is part of a broader industry restructuring ordered by the Nigerian Communications Commission in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria to resolve ongoing conflicts between telecom providers and banks over unpaid USSD service rates.
Chronicle NG reported that the NCC had directed deposit money banks to start deducting charges for unstructured supplementary service data transactions directly from users’ mobile airtime.
Previously, banks billed clients through their bank accounts while automatically passing on USSD usage expenses to telecom carriers.
Telcos said that banks profited from the service while delaying or evading infrastructure payments, resulting in debts estimated at ₦250 billion by 2024.
To rectify the imbalance, the NCC implemented an End-User Billing model, requiring banks to refund debts and transfer costs to airtime billing after satisfying prior obligations.
Under the new paradigm, consumers will receive a prompt at the start of each USSD session, and airtime would be debited only after approval, if there is enough balance.
