Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) has announced a shift in how it charges customers for USSD banking services, with transaction fees now set to be deducted directly from users’ airtime balances instead of their bank accounts.
In a message sent to its customers, the bank stated:
“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.”
This change is in line with a directive from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), aimed at resolving long-standing disputes between telecom operators and banks over unpaid USSD charges.
Previously, banks charged customers directly from their bank accounts while telecom providers bore the brunt of service infrastructure costs. However, telcos raised concerns that they were not being adequately reimbursed, leading to a backlog of unpaid fees estimated at ₦250 billion as of 2024.
To address the issue, the NCC introduced an End-User Billing system requiring banks to migrate to airtime-based charges after settling their outstanding debts. Under this new model, USSD users will be prompted at the beginning of each session, and fees will only be deducted upon confirmation, provided there is sufficient airtime.
GTBank’s move follows other commercial banks that have already begun implementing the new billing structure.
