Commercial banks have reconnected MTN customers to banking channels after disconnecting them from their channels, including the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) and banking apps last Friday.
MSN learnt the development was due to the intervention of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami and the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
The banks blocked MTN subscribers, believed to be around 77 millions, accounting for about 45 per cent of the total telecommunications market share in Nigeria, with many of them stranded and unable to recharge airtime via USSD amid the Easter celebrations.
The blockade was due to reduction of banks’ commission from 4.5 per cent to 2.5 per cent by the telco.
The banks had written MTN to revert to the old commission, vowing to block MTN airtime in all their channels.
MTN on Saturday introduced alternative electronic payment platforms to its customers to enable them recharge their airtime electronically. The payment platforms announced included Flutterwave, Jumia Pay, OPay, Kuda, Carbon and BillsnPay.
