USSD war: MTN bows to pressure

MTN customers have been reconnected to banking channels after commercial banks had blocked them from using their channels, including the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data and banking apps on Friday.

The channels were blocked as a result of MTN reducing the banks’ commission on USSD airtime to 2.5 per cent.

However, following the intervention by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, as well as the Nigerian Communications Commission, MTN agreed to revert back to 4.5 per cent commission.

In a letter signed by MTN Chief Executive Officer, Karl Toriola, on Saturday and addressed to the Chairman of Body of Banks’ CEOs, Herbert Wigwe, Toriola said a meeting for the reduction of the charges would be held on Tuesday.

The letter was a follow-up to the virtual meeting held Saturday morning by Toriola, Wigwe, Managing Director/CEO, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Segun Agbaje and MTN Nigeria’s Chief Financial Officer, Modupe Kadri.