By Ezeja Victor
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has kicked off a unified USSD codes for all mobile networks in Nigeria. The harmonized short codes (HSC) will work across all mobile networks in the country.
This means that all network providers in Nigeria, MTN, Airtel, Glo, 9Mobile, etc, will no longer use their previous short codes but now use same unified USSD codes for credit recharge, data balance checks, customer call line and others.
For MTN for instance, it has stopped using its other codes such as the ancient *131# for customer care calling, *559# for special data balance checks and many others.
For Airtel, the codes *140# for balance checks, *141# for data subscription, etc will no longer work. Instead, they have all adopted the new unified codes for the services as approved by NCC.
ALSO READ: How To Use WhatsApp Two-factor Authentication To Secure Your Phone As NCC Recommended
So, If you are a customer using MTN sim card, you won’t be able to use the old short codes any longer for the previous specific services. Same for Airtel, 9Mobile, Glo and others.
Instead, you would need to use any of the new unified USSD codes.
Background:
Before May 17, 2023, MTN and other telecommunications network providers such as Airtel, 9Mobile, Globacom, as well as banks, had specific USSD codes for credit card recharge, data balance checking, fund transfers, fund withdrawals and many other services.
These services had the monopoly of generating short codes for their customers for specific business offerings.
Hence, to recharge your phone’s call or data credit on MTN, you needed to dial *556#; For Airtel, you needed to dial *141# to Subscribe your data and for banks like GTCO (GT Bank), you needed to type *737# to make fund transactions.
More Troubles For Multiple Sim Card Users:
However, for those who have more than one phones and use many sim cards as well as have many bank accounts, it became mandatory that they memorise the individual codes of the various service providers and for various services.
Imagine having to cram all the codes of the various network providers, including those of banks, lottery and game services?
Well, that is too much isn’t it? Consequently, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had thought it wise when it took over the short code services and embarked on a journey of classifying and harmonising all short codes so Nigerians won’t need to cram so many different codes for same services again.
Commencement of the new codes:
Beginning from May 17, 2023, all previous codes elapsed their viability cycles. Also falling in line with the harmonisation of the codes by NCC, Nigerians would now need to know just a few unified USSD codes and use them across networks.
Implications:
What this means is that you will now use same code to recharge your MTN line, GLo line, Airtel or 9Mobile Lines!
You don’t have to use different codes any more. Just one code each can recharge, check data balance, call customer care etc across all networks.
The new Codes:
The following are the new Unified USSD codes for all mobile networks in Nigeria:
Call Centre: 300
Borrow Services: *303#
Stop Service: *305#
Check Balance: *310#
Credit Recharge: *311#
Data Plan: *312#
Data plan balance: *323#
Share Services: *321#
Found this interesting? Share!
and then