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Update : N120b USSD debt : Telcos accuses the big DMBs of intransigence of not paying their debt
Telecom operators have accused big deposit money banks (DMBs) of owing the huge percentage of the N120 billion debts that arose from the use of Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD). They also accused the big DMBs of intransigence in paying the debt.
Acting under the aegis of Association of Licensed Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ALTON), the operators also said they were yet to feel the impact of the intervention of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele in resolving the impasse as it has not translated to the payment of the debt by the big banks.
UUSD is a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) protocol that is used to send text messages. USSD is similar to Short Message Service (SMS); it uses codes made up of the characters that are available on a mobile phone.
Chairman of ALTON, Gbenga Adebayo, in a telephone interview, said the smaller operators have been responsive and alive to their corporate responsibilities by paying their debts to the operators, adding that the same story could not be told of the big banks that have refused to defray their debts.
According to him, the impact of the debt burden is huge because of the caliber of banks owing.
Adebayo said the CBN governor’s intervention has not resulted into the payment of the debt, meaning such an intervention remained useless at best, adding that the process of final disconnection has started.
He said: “We are now commencing the implementation of the terms of the agreement by sending them notice which will expire after the notice depending on the agreement and once the service notice expires, we will begin to withdraw the service. I must say that some banks are paying. Unfortunately the ones that are not paying are the big banks debtors. I don’t want to mention their names. They are the big ones and that is why it has such a huge impact on the industry. So the smaller ones that are not owing much are paying; some were paying before, we don’t know what happened and they stopped paying, allowing the debts to pile up.”
He said initially when the notice was served, the DMBs agreed but only to turn around to talk about the billing system. He asked rhetorically: “How can billing be the problem after the service has been provided?”
On the CBN’s intervention, he said: “We will begin to see the intervention when the DMBs start paying. We don’t know what intervention they are doing with the banking system but we will see the impact when we start seeing money being paid by the DMBs. So far, we have not seen anything. We are a highly responsible corporate organisation. We are not going to yank off the plug without following due process; all we are doing now is to enforce the terms of the commercial agreement and when the day comes when the notice will expire, we will rightly disconnect.”
FirstBank, the West Africa premier financial institution and financial inclusion services provider, has strengthened its partnership with the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) to reaffirm its commitment to driving sustainable finance and unlocking capital for development. This ongoing partnership was reinforced at the recently concluded Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) hosted by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) in Seville, Spain.
The FfD4 Conference brought together global leaders, policymakers, and private sector experts to discuss innovative solutions to address the growing SDG financing gap and unlock capital for development in fragile and underserved regions.
FirstBank’s Chief Risk Officer, Patrick Akhidenor, represented the bank at the conference and highlighted two FirstBank flagship initiatives driving resilience finance in Nigeria: The Solar Equipment Financing initiative and the revamped FirstGem Fund. The Solar Equipment Financing initiative offers tailored financing options for the purchase and installation of solar power systems, ensuring access to clean, reliable, and affordable energy solutions. The FirstGem Fund, a women-focused proposition, provides single-digit interest loans to women entrepreneurs without collateral requirements, targeting funding gaps in critical sectors.
‘’We are committed to driving sustainable finance and unlocking capital for development,” said Patrick Akhidenor. “Our partnership with UNGC and participation in the FfD4 Conference demonstrate our dedication to innovative finance solutions that address the SDG financing gap.”
Sanda Ojambo, CEO of UNGC, emphasized the need for innovative, inclusive financial models for underserved regions. “The private sector must play a central role in shaping fit-for-purpose, scalable finance solutions,” she said. “De-risking tools and blended finance can help unlock capital and drive meaningful impact.
FirstBank’s partnership with Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and its SMEConnect hub demonstrate its capacity to lead efforts in sustainable finance. The bank provides training, networking, and tailored financing to SMEs across various sectors, including education, healthcare, and retail
Access Holdings PLC, the parent company of Access
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GTCO Plc Becomes the 1st Financial Services Institution in West Africa to Achieve Listing and Trading of its Ordinary Shares on the London Stock Exchange
Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO Plc), Africa’s leading and most profitable Financial Services Group, has recorded a significant milestone in its growth and expansion journey with the successful admission of its Ordinary Shares to the Equity Shares (International Commercial Companies Secondary Listing) category of the Official List of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and to trading on the main market for listed securities of the London Stock Exchange.
This historic achievement makes GTCO Plc, the 1stFinancial Services Institution in West Africa to dual list its Ordinary Shares on both the Nigerian and London stock exchanges, and subject to certain criteria, it is expected that the Shares will be transferrable between the two exchanges.
The admission follows the successful pricing of its fully marketed offering (The Offering) on the London Stock Exchange to raise gross proceeds of $105million in exchange for 2.29 billion of new ordinary shares in the company, which was supported by a strong book of high-quality, long-term institutional investors.
Concurrent with the Offering, the Company also gave notice of its intention to cancel the listing of its existing GDRs on the certificates representing certain securities (depositary receipts) category of the Official List of the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) and the admission to trading of GDRs on the London Stock Exchange’s main market for listed securities.
Building on the momentum of the successful first tranche of its equity capital raise programme in July 2024, which secured ₦209 billion, GTCO will deploy the proceeds from the Offering to strengthen its capital base, meet its recapitalization target, and fund strategic expansion across high-growth markets and priority sectors within and outside Nigeria.
It is expected that Admission and unconditional dealing in the Shares will become effective on or before 8.00 a.m. (UK time) on 9 July 2025 under the ticker “GTHC”. Following the cancellation of the GDRs listing, the Company intends to change the ticker symbol for the Shares from “GTHC” to “GTCO” and will issue a separate announcement in due course to that effect.
Commenting on the LSE Listing, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, Mr. Segun Agbaje, said: “Today marks a major milestone—not just for GTCO, but for the future we see for African financial institutions on the global stage. We are incredibly proud to be the 1stFinancial Services Institution in West Africa to list our ordinary shares on London Stock Exchange’s main market for listed securities, and even more honored by the trust placed in us by the investing community. For us, this was not just about raising capital. It was about validating the strength of our franchise, the clarity of our strategy, and the discipline with which we execute.”
He further said; “I would like to thank everyone who made this possible—our advisors and legal teams, our longstanding shareholders, the regulators both in Nigeria and in the UK, as well as the Nigerian government for creating an environment that supports our bold ambition and vision to be Africa’s leading financial services institution.”
GTCO’s fully marketed offering attracted long-term institutional capital, reflecting investor confidence in the Group’s fundamentals, governance, and strategic outlook. It also signals improving market sentiment, buoyed by ongoing economic reforms by the Federal Government and a return to traditional orthodox monetary policy by the Central Bank of Nigeria, which have gone a long way to stabilising the macroeconomic environment and gradually restoring investor confidence in Nigeria’s long-term prospects.
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