USSD Disconnection: Emefiele, Danbatta, Pantami Meet Telcos, Banks Today

Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, Minister of Communications, Dr Isa Pantami, and the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Communications Commission, Prof Umar Danbatta, will on Monday meet banks and telecoms operators over threat by telcos to disconnect Unstructured Supplementary Service Data to banks today.

The Federal government had directed Mobile Network Operators to put a hold on their plan to suspend USSD services to banks.

The directive was given by Pantami, according to a statement titled ‘Impending suspension of USSD banking services put on hold’.

The statement was signed by the Technical Assistant (Information Technology) to the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Femi Adeluyi, on Saturday.

The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria had announced on Friday that telcos would disconnect banks from USSD services on Monday due to their over N42bn debt.

Pantami has however called for a meeting on Monday with all stakeholders including the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, as well as the MNOs and financial institutions.

Adeluyi said the purpose of the meeting was to ensure an amicable resolution of the impasse.

“The outcome of the meeting will determine the next steps regarding the status of USSD financial services,” the statement said.

Adeluyi noted that the minister had sent a letter with respect of the issues to the CBN governor on March 3 on the need for the banks to do the needful.