Nearly 300 million Africans live more than 50 kilometers from a fiber or cable broadband connection. Only about a quarter of the continent’s population use mobile internet. Achieving fast internet service is a work in progress around Africa. USSD is bridging the gap- allowing more Africans with mobile phones but no internet to access digital and financial services. 

From microfinance banks to commercial banks and fintech companies, more financial service providers are launching USSD channels.  

Wondering what the setup looks like? 

Let’s break the process down:

Obtain necessary licenses and contracts

Depending on the service you provide, it is important to obtain all necessary licenses as these will be presented to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and telco partners. For example, to provide banking services, you need a banking license to operate in Nigeria. Likewise, a USSD platform that plans to offer telemedicine services may be required to present a professional license to demonstrate qualification to practice medicine. Contracts may also be necessary to evidence partnerships, where a third party is involved.

Shortcode allocation from NCC

The NCC provides shortcode application forms and allocates the code accordingly. It is not up to your business to decide if its service will be available to customers on *1000#, although you may suggest your preferred code. The NCC has the final say on who gets what number. 

Build the USSD menus and application.

Here, you need to hire a programmer to build your application and menus. This programmer(s) will usually have a good understanding of any programming language and can then use that to implement our standard USSD APIs. They will convert your services into a USSD flow that fits your needs.

Connect to the Mobile Network Operators

For customers to dial your code on their mobile phone and reach your service, you need to be connected to their mobile network operator’s USSD gateway. This often requires integration with each network operator, including commercial and technical negotiations to ensure successful deployment.

Need to cut the stress and set up seamlessly?

HollaTags is a one-stop shop for USSD setup, applications, and integrations. We have superior knowledge of telco partnerships and technical expertise that will allow your customers access to your service from their dial-pad in the blink of an eye. 

Partner with us to set everything up from scratch to finish. Our USSD APIs are uniquely efficient, connecting your business to mobile networks and giving your customers round-the-clock access. We have deployed the channel for companies across sectors, including banks, fintech, pension managers, and emergency service providers.