GTBank Begins Deducting N6.98 USSD Fee from Airtime Balances

Guaranty Trust Bank has commenced a new billing structure for its USSD banking services, with transaction fees of ₦6.98 now being deducted directly from customers’ mobile airtime balances instead of their bank accounts.

In a notice to customers, the bank announced the implementation of the change effective June 18, 2025.

The shift follows a broader industry directive led by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), aimed at resolving longstanding disputes between telecom providers and banks over unpaid USSD service fees.

Previously, banks passed on the cost of USSD services to telecom operators while collecting the charges from customers via their bank accounts. This practice led to mounting debts—estimated at ₦250 billion in 2024—owed by banks to telecom providers.

To remedy the situation, the NCC introduced an End-User Billing system. Under this arrangement, customers must authorize the ₦6.98 fee before proceeding with any USSD transaction, and the charge will be debited only if the user has sufficient airtime.

This move ensures that telecom operators are compensated directly, helping to eliminate future disputes and enforce payment discipline while maintaining service access for banking customers across mobile platforms.