Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has approved unified USSD codes for all mobile networks in Nigeria. The harmonized shortcodes (HSC) will work across all mobile networks in the country.
This means all mobile network services will be using the same customer care number, the same code for checking data balances, the same code for credit recharge, etc.
NCC Press release;
CONSEQUENTLY, UNDER THE NEW HARMONISED SHORT CODES REGIME, 13 COMMON SHORT CODES HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION. THEY INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING CODES: 300 TO BE USED AS THE HARMONISED CODE FOR CALL CENTRE/HELP DESK ON ALL MOBILE NETWORKS; 301 FOR VOICE MAIL DEPOSIT; 302 FOR VOICE MAIL RETRIEVAL; 303 FOR BORROW SERVICES; 305 FOR STOP SERVICE; 310 FOR CHECK BALANCE, AND 311 FOR CREDIT RECHARGE.
ALSO, THE COMMON CODE FOR DATA PLANS ACROSS NETWORKS IS NOW 312. IN LINE WITH THE NEW DIRECTION, 321 IS FOR SHARED SERVICES, WHILE 323 IS FOR DATA PLAN BALANCE. THE CODE, 996, IS NOW FOR VERIFICATION OF SUBSCRIBER IDENTITY MODULE (SIM) REGISTRATION/NIN-SIM LINKAGE. THE CODE, 2442, IS RETAINED FOR DO-NOT-DISTURB (DND) UNSOLICITED MESSAGING COMPLAINT MANAGEMENT, WHILE THE COMMON CODE, 3232, IS ALSO RETAINED FOR PORTING SERVICES, OTHERWISE CALLED MOBILE NUMBER PORTABILITY.
THE OLD AND NEW HARMONISED SHORT CODES WILL RUN CONCURRENTLY UP UNTIL THE MAY 17, 2023, WHEN ALL NETWORKS ARE EXPECTED TO HAVE FULLY MIGRATED TO FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW CODES. THE PERIOD BETWEEN NOW AND MAY 17, 2023 IS PROVIDED BY THE NCC TO ENABLE TELECOM CONSUMERS TO FAMILIARISE THEMSELVES WITH THE NEW CODES FOR VARIOUS SERVICES.
The statement added that;
THE INITIATIVE, WHICH IS IN LINE WITH NCC’S REGULATORY MODERNISATION PROGRAMME, IS ESSENTIALLY TO MAKE LIFE MUCH EASIER FOR TELECOM CONSUMERS, AS IT IS NOW EASIER FOR NIGERIANS TO MEMORIZE SINGLE CODES FOR VARIOUS SERVICES ACROSS ALL MOBILE NETWORKS THEY MAY BE USING, THEREBY IMPROVING CONSUMER QUALITY OF EXPERIENCE (QOE).
IN ADDITION, THE NEW POLICY WILL PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR LICENSEES IN THE VALUE-ADDED SERVICES (VAS) SEGMENT OF THE TELECOMS SECTOR TO BE ABLE TO USE FREED-UP/OLD CODES FOR OTHER SERVICES, AS WELL AS ENHANCE A COHESIVE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK IN KEEPING WITH WORLD-CLASS PRACTICES.
NCC Harmonised Shortcodes
| Services | NCC Unified Codes |
| Call Center | 300 |
| Borrow Services | *303# |
| Stop Service | *305# |
| Check Balance | *310# |
| Credit Recharge | *311# |
| Data Plan | *312# |
| Share Services | *321# |
| Verification of SIM Registration/SIM-Linkage | *996# |
Unified USSD codes for all mobile networks in Nigeria
