GTBank to begin deducting N6.98 USSD charges from airtime, not bank accounts

Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) has announced a shift in its USSD billing method, joining other Nigerian banks in implementing the new End-User Billing system effective Wednesday, June 18, 2025.

In a message to its customers, GTBank stated that the N6.98 fee for USSD banking transactions will now be deducted directly from users’ airtime balance, instead of their bank accounts.

“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,” the bank said.

This change comes in line with a policy jointly enforced by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to resolve a long-standing dispute between telecom providers and financial institutions over unpaid USSD charges.

Previously, banks billed the USSD fee through customers’ bank accounts, but telecom companies raised concerns over non-payment for the infrastructure used, claims that led to debts reportedly exceeding N250 billion by 2024.

To address this, the NCC ordered a migration to the End-User Billing model, requiring that charges be deducted from mobile airtime after users confirm the transaction and if they have sufficient balance. The directive also includes a condition that banks must settle all outstanding debts to telcos before fully switching to the new model.

Under the revised system, users initiating USSD transactions will receive a prompt and will only be charged once they approve the deduction.