USSD Tussle: MTN links subscribers to fintech platforms, ignores banks
The MTN mobile network operator on Saturday announced that customers can recharge airtime through payment solutions platforms such as Flutterwave, Jumia Pay, OPay, Kuda, Carbon and BillsnPay leaving MTN customers in Nigeria now have alternative electronic payment platforms to recharge their phones .
MTN in a statement on Saturday by its Senior Manager, External Relations, Funso Aina, also said customers could recharge airtime by dialing *904# and *606#.
24 hours after commercial banks on Friday disconnected MTN customers from banking channels including the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data and banking apps, leaving millions of MTN subscribers frustrated and stranded as they were unable to recharge airtime via USSD amid the Easter celebrations.
The largest telecommunication operator in the country which is MTN, with about 77 million subscribers, making up about 45 per cent of the total telecommunication market share in Nigeria.
It was earlier reported that the telecommunications reduced the banks’ commission from an average of 3.5 per cent to 2.5 per cent which initiated the actions of the banks.
The banks had written MTN to revert to the old commission of 3.5 , otherwise, they would block MTN airtime in all their channels.
The Banks blocked MTN from their banking channels, leaving customers stranded as they were unable to recharge virtually except for Zenith Bank which was connected directly to MTN
Isa Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy had said the matter would be resolved. “We have reached an advance stage of resolving the issues, for the services to be restored to our citizens,” he had said.
The mobile network operator on Saturday announced that customers can recharge airtime through payment solutions platforms such as Flutterwave, Jumia Pay, OPay, Kuda, Carbon and BillsnPay leaving MTN customers in Nigeria an alternative to recharge their phones through electronic payment platforms.
