Bank customers and phone subscribers have rejected the migration to the End-User Billing (EUB) model for Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) services which took effect from yesterday.
Under the new billing model, USSD charges will be deducted directly from the customer’s airtime balance and not from their bank account. Also, each USSD session will attract a charge of N6.98 per 120 seconds.
President, Bank Customers Association of Nigeria (BCAN), Dr. Uju Ogubunka, said bank customers will not continue to bear the brunt of excess charges by banks that do not align with Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN ) guide on bank charges.
He Ogubunka said the fee represents an extra burden on customers, who are already being choked by other charges that many of the banks cannot explain.
The BCAN President called on the CBN and Bankers’ Committee to rise against the new move by banks to impoverish customers.
He said: “We are worried that banks want to impose all the charges on customers. What stops the banks from including the fees as operational costs given the huge profits they keep declaring? Banks should devote more time, thinking of better ways to improve their services, not at the expense of customers.”
Ogubunka said despite calls by the banks and CBN for more people to key into the financial system , the new charges will alienate customers .
He called on the banks to always engage customers, before taking decisions that bother on their deposits and savings. .
The BCAN boss urged clearer implementation guidelines that include the position of the CBN, telcos and other stakeholders in the value chain.
He said all stakeholders should be briefed on why the banks decided to move the fees from bank accounts to airtime.
