The Business NG - October 23, 2024

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Telcos Threaten to Disconnect Banks from USSD Services Over N250bn Debt

The CEO of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola, has warned that telecommunication companies (telcos) may disconnect banks from the unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) platform due to a debt of N250 billion. USSD, also known as quick or feature codes, is a global system for mobile communications (GSM) protocol used for financial transactions. The debt has been accumulating since 2019, and telcos have been seeking a tariff adjustment to reflect the realities of the economy.

Toriola stated that the debt has become unsustainable for the operators and may lead to a disconnection of banking services on the USSD platform, subject to regulatory approval. He expressed optimism that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) would resolve the impasse soon.

The telecom sector is facing a critical situation, with MTN and other operators struggling to maintain profitability due to naira devaluation, inflation, and rising costs. Toriola warned that if the government does not approve a tariff adjustment, the company may shut down, and the industry may collapse.