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The short answer
The ₦6.98 USSD charge is a telecoms fee per session, not a bank fee. It was set as a flat per-session fee in 2021 and collected by banks from customers' accounts; from June 2025 the model moved to telcos deducting it from your airtime, with each session priced per 120 seconds, according to TechCabal. Your bank's own transfer or bill charges come on top, from your account.
USSD banking is the channel that works on any phone with no data, which is why it matters so much outside the big cities. Its cost has been argued over for years between banks and mobile networks. For the customer the question is simpler: what do I pay, and where does it come out of?
Where the ₦6.98 comes from
TechCabal's June 2025 explainer sets out the history. Telcos provide the USSD infrastructure; banks use it. In 2019 an attempt by a network to bill users directly was halted by the NCC and the CBN. In 2020 the NCC adopted corporate billing, where banks bore the cost. In 2021 a flat ₦6.98 per session was introduced, collected by banks from customers and remitted to telcos. Compliance was weak, and telcos said banks owed about ₦250 billion; the CBN and NCC directed banks to settle ₦212.5 billion by the end of 2024.
Bank pages from that period describe the 2021 model. Access Bank's USSD FAQ says Access charges nothing, and that the network charges ₦6.98 per USSD financial transaction from 6 June 2021, with airtime and data purchases exempt. Stanbic IBTC's USSD terms describe a telco charge of ₦6.98 per transaction and say the bank may also charge a transaction fee by type. UBA's *919# page says enrolment is free and then ₦6.98 is charged per USSD session.
What changed in 2025: airtime deduction
Under the NCC-proposed model reported by TechCabal on 10 June 2025:
- ₦6.98 per session, not per transaction.
- Each session is priced per 120 seconds.
- Deducted from your airtime by the network, not from your bank account.
- Consent first: the charge applies only after you authorise the transaction and the bank confirms it can deliver the service.
- You need enough airtime before you start.
TechCabal noted that final details were still being negotiated at the time and that the NCC had not issued a full public statement. Some bank pages may still describe the older model. If your account is still being debited ₦6.98 alongside airtime deductions for the same session, that is worth a complaint.
What the bank can add
The CBN Guide to Charges (effective January 2020) says USSD transactions carry the prevailing NIP (instant transfer) charges. So a USSD transfer to another bank can cost the same transfer fee as the app, and some banks price particular USSD services. UBA's page, for example, lists bills via *919*5# and cardless withdrawal at ₦100 plus VAT, and transfers to other UBA accounts as free. Stanbic IBTC's USSD page says *909# can be dialled "without charges", which refers to the bank's side.
Worked example: a USSD transfer
Example only, assuming the 2025 airtime model and the maximum bands in the CBN Guide to Charges.
| Item | Paid from | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| USSD session (under 120 seconds) | Airtime | ₦6.98 |
| Interbank transfer fee for ₦20,000 (₦5,001 to ₦50,000 band) | Bank account | ₦25.00 |
| VAT at 7.5% on the transfer fee | Bank account | ₦1.88 |
| Stamp duty (transfer of ₦10,000 or more) | Bank account | ₦50.00 |
| Total | ₦83.86 |
Of that, ₦76.88 comes from the account and ₦6.98 from airtime. A session that times out and has to be repeated costs a second ₦6.98. If you do ten USSD sessions a month, that is ₦69.80 in airtime before any bank fees.
Common situations
- No airtime. Under the 2025 model the session needs airtime first. Top up with a small amount before starting a USSD transfer.
- Postpaid lines. TechCabal's report does not cover how postpaid plans are billed; check with your network.
- Session timed out after you entered your PIN. Check your balance or alerts before trying again, so you do not send twice. If the money left, follow our steps for a pending transfer.
- Several accounts on one number. Access Bank, for example, links accounts that share a phone number through a profile merge at the branch or by email. Each session is still charged once.
USSD remains the channel for people without smartphones or data. The per-session fee is small, but it is charged on every attempt, so a little planning about which strings to use saves both money and airtime.
Keeping the cost down and staying safe
- Use the shortest string your bank publishes, such as *919*4*account*amount#, rather than navigating menus, so the session ends quickly.
- Check your balance by app or alert where possible; a balance check is still a session.
- Keep your USSD PIN private and know your bank's block code, such as Access Bank's *901*911#. See USSD banking fraud.
- Remember stamp duty applies on any channel: stamp duty explained.
If you find an airtime deduction for a session you did not complete, raise it with your network first, since the telco now takes the charge. If your bank account is debited for a USSD fee, raise it with the bank and quote the Guide to Charges; our page on complaint timelines sets out what to expect.
Questions people ask
Who collects the ₦6.98 USSD charge?
The mobile network. Since the 2025 change reported by TechCabal, telcos deduct it from your airtime. Before that, banks debited it from accounts and remitted it.
Is the USSD charge per transaction or per session?
Per session, priced per 120 seconds under the 2025 model. A dropped session that you redo costs another ₦6.98.
Why was I charged ₦6.98 when I bought airtime?
Access Bank's FAQ said airtime and data purchases were exempt under the 2021 model. If you were charged, ask your bank or network which rule they applied.
Does the bank add its own charge on USSD transfers?
It can. The CBN Guide to Charges says the prevailing instant transfer charges apply to USSD, and some banks price bills and cardless withdrawals separately.
Sources
- TechCabal: Why telcos will now deduct USSD charges from your airtime (10 June 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
- Access Bank: USSD Banking FAQs · accessed Oct 2026
- Stanbic IBTC Bank: USSD Banking Terms and Conditions · accessed Oct 2026
- UBA Nigeria: *919# USSD Banking · accessed Oct 2026
- Central Bank of Nigeria: Guide to Charges by Banks, Other Financial and Non-Bank Financial Institutions (effective 1 January 2020) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.