A few months ago, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) asked all Nigerian mobile telecoms to implement a new unified USSD code that subscribers can use to perform one task and the other irrespective of the network they are using. They introduced a new USSD that you can use to recharge your phone, check your balance buy data plans and lots more.


The word "unified" simply means that whether you are using MTN, GLO, AIRTEL OR 9MOBILE you will be able to use the same code used to recharge your MTN phone number to recharge your Glo or Airtel etc. However, I can say a big congrats to MTN users because they are the first to implement this unified USSD code.

Advantage & Disadvantage of the new Unified USSD code

You don't have to ask anyone for the code you can use to check your balance or recharge your phone since the one you are using on the other line remains the same as every other network in Nigeria. Most people have been using MTN for so long that they have mastered the regular MTN USSD code but can't do the same with another mobile network because they are not used to it. That problem has been solved with the new unified USSD code.

The new unified USSD code is easy to memorize but since most of us are familiar with the old USSD codes it might take some time to be familiar with the new code. Many will strong because not everyone knows about the new unified USSD code and might be trying to use the old code to subscribe for data, buy airtime and check their balance.

However, I have received various messages from MTN about the new change but the good news is that the old code is not disconnected, it will take some time for subscribers to get used to the new code, therefore it will take some time for MTN to completely disconnect the old codes.

This means that as an MTN subscriber, you will no longer be able to recharge your line using the regular MTN codes *555# and *556#.

Furthermore, it also means that any mobile network provider be it MTN, Glo, Airtel, 9mobile or any other that fails to migrate will not be able to serve its customers.

This also means that all mobile network services will be using the same customer care number, the same code for checking data balances and the same code for credit recharge.

List of the new unified USSD code

The Unified USSD codes for all Nigerian mobile networks are shown below:

• 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#

Active codes that will still be used

While the old USSD code from the different mobile networks will no longer work, there are some important old USSD codes that will remain unchanged those codes are as follows:

• DND: *2442#
• Porting services: *3232#
• NIN Verification and NIN-SIM Linkage: *996#

Finally, the new code has come to stay and it's time to get used to the new unified USSD. Now, before you go I will like to know what you think about the new code

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