Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) have accused deposit money banks of politicising the N150 billion debt they owe for Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) usage.
Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, stated this during the Nigeria Telecoms Indigenous Content Expo (NTICE 2023) held in Lagos.
The impasse surrounding the debt has persisted since 2019 and hinges on the refusal of deposit money banks to settle their outstanding dues for USSD services provided by telecom operators, resulting in an accumulated debt of about N150 billion.
Despite concerted efforts by regulatory bodies such as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to mediate and find a resolution, the banking institutions have been unable to clear the outstanding obligation.
Adebayo pointed out that political interference has exacerbated the situation, turning what should be a straightforward commercial agreement into a protracted and contentious issue.
He pointed out that the USSD agreement is fundamentally a commercial contract, similar to a buyer-seller arrangement, wherein payment is expected for the services rendered.
He underscored that if the buyer, in this case the banks, fails to remit the owed N150 billion, the supply of USSD services should logically cease.
He decried that the matter had spiralled into the political arena with interventions from both the Ministry and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), leading to a protracted stalemate.
Adebayo, therefore, called upon the newly appointed Minister of Communication, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, to safeguard the autonomy of the telecoms sector under the purview of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and advocated for granting the regulatory body the necessary independence to effectively discharge its responsibilities.
Adebayo also sounded an alarm regarding the unsustainable end-user pricing for telecom services, given the prevailing cost structure, particularly in the wake of the removal of fuel subsidies.
He further warned that the elimination of electricity subsidies could precipitate another crisis as current prices have become unsustainable Adebayo.
Commenting on the concerning trend of Nigerian tech experts seeking opportunities abroad, Adebayo implored the new Minister to foster an enabling environment that would encourage the repatriation of these skilled individuals to contribute to the growth of Nigeria’s telecom and technology sector.
