Telecom operators in Nigeria are seeing some progress in the repayment of the N250bn debt tied to Unstructured Supplementary Service Data services, with smaller banks beginning to settle their obligations.
However, tier-one lenders responsible for the bulk of the debt are yet to make significant payments. The Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria, Gbenga Adebayo, revealed this development to The PUNCH on Thursday.
He said, while some repayments have been recorded, they fall short of expectations. “We are seeing payments from smaller players, but the big banks, which owe the most, have not been forthcoming,” Adebayo said on a call.
“We are now waiting for intervention from regulators, including the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian Communications Commission, to resolve the issue,” he stated.
Telecom operators have raised concerns over the impact of the unpaid debt on the sustainability of USSD services, which allow customers to perform financial transactions without an internet connection.
The ALTON chair reiterated that telcos might be forced to discontinue USSD services for banks if the debt is not resolved.
