TELCOS OPPOSE AIRTIME CHARGES FOR BANK TRANSFERS

Telecom operators under the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria have refuted claims by Deposit Money Banks that the Nigerian Communications Commission instructed them (DMBs) to deduct Unstructured Supplementary Service Data transaction fees directly from customers’ airtime balances instead of their bank accounts.
This comes amid growing concerns from customers after several banks began issuing notices indicating that from June 3, 2025, USSD banking charges would no longer be deducted from bank accounts but directly from airtime.
ALTON, however, insisted that no such directive came from the telecom regulator, noting that banks have not fulfilled the conditions precedent to migration and NCC does not regulate banks and has no oversight over them.