The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is actively engaging with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to address the ₦250 billion debt owed by banks to telecom operators.
This debt arises from unpaid fees for Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) services, which have been in dispute for six years.
Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, NCC’s Director of Consumer Affairs, expressed optimism about resolving the issue soon. Dr Adinde made the promise during a training programme for journalists on emerging trends in the telecom sector.
The debt, according to reports, has escalated from ₦80 billion in November 2022 to over ₦250 billion, prompting telecom operators to consider suspending services if unresolved
Gbenga Adebayo, the chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), said the banks had been profiting from USSD services without meeting their payment obligations to banks in the last six years.
“Under normal circumstances, this would be a straightforward commercial transaction, but it has gained political interest. If it were simply business as usual, there are clauses in the contract that would allow each party to prepare themselves.
“Both parties would have been able to invoke those clauses. However, due to the political interest that has developed over the years, it has now become necessary for operators to seek regulatory clearance before taking any action,” he said.
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