How to Accept USSD Payments From Customers Without Smartphones in Nigeria

Nigeria has over 200 million people. Smartphone penetration is growing fast but it is not universal. A significant portion of the country's buying population still uses basic phones, has limited mobile data, or simply prefers not to enter card details online.

These buyers are not gone. They are just paying differently.

USSD payments let any customer with a basic mobile phone and a Nigerian bank account pay for goods and services without an internet connection, without a smartphone, and without entering any card details anywhere.

If your store does not accept USSD payments, you are invisible to a large segment of Nigerian buyers who are willing to spend but cannot use your current payment options.

This guide explains exactly what USSD payments are, how they work, and how to accept them in your Nigerian business today.

What Is USSD Payment?

USSD stands for Unstructured Supplementary Service Data. It is a communication protocol that allows mobile phones to interact with a service provider's servers through short codes, the same technology that powers *737#, *901#, and similar banking short codes in Nigeria.

When a customer pays by USSD, they dial a short code on their phone, navigate a simple text menu, enter their PIN, and confirm the payment. No internet connection required. No smartphone required. No card details exposed online. The transaction completes in under a minute and both the customer and the merchant receive confirmation.

Every major Nigerian bank offers a USSD banking short code. GTBank uses *737#. Access Bank uses *901#. First Bank uses *894#. Zenith Bank uses *966#. UBA uses *919#. The list covers virtually every Nigerian with a bank account.

How USSD Payments Work in Practice

Here is the experience from the customer's side.

A customer decides to buy from your store. At checkout, they select USSD as their payment method. The payment gateway generates a USSD code specific to that transaction. The customer dials the code on their phone. A text menu appears asking them to confirm the payment details and enter their bank PIN. They confirm. The payment is processed instantly. The merchant receives a notification.

From the merchant's side, a USSD payment confirmation looks identical to a card payment or bank transfer confirmation. The money moves through the same banking infrastructure. Settlement happens on the same schedule. The only difference is the method the customer used to initiate the payment.

Which Nigerian Banks Support USSD Payments?

As of 2026, every major Nigerian commercial bank supports USSD banking. Here are the codes for the most widely used banks:

GTBank: *737# Access Bank: *901# First Bank: *894# Zenith Bank: *966# UBA: *919# Stanbic IBTC: *909# Fidelity Bank: *770# Union Bank: *826# Sterling Bank: *822# Polaris Bank: *833# Wema Bank: *945# FCMB: *329#

When a customer selects USSD at checkout, the payment gateway typically generates a code that works with the customer's specific bank. The customer dials it and completes the payment through their bank's USSD menu.

How to Accept USSD Payments Through Paystack

Paystack includes USSD as a built-in payment option on all its payment pages and checkout integrations. You do not need to do anything special to enable it. When a customer reaches your Paystack checkout page, they automatically see USSD as one of the available payment methods alongside card and bank transfer.

To confirm USSD is enabled on your Paystack account, log into your dashboard and go to Settings, then Preferences. Under Payment Methods, confirm that USSD is toggled on. It is enabled by default for all Nigerian accounts.

How to Accept USSD Payments Through Flutterwave

Flutterwave also includes USSD as a standard payment option on its checkout. Like Paystack, it is available by default for Nigerian accounts and does not require separate configuration.

When you create a payment link on Flutterwave or integrate its checkout into your store, Nigerian customers will automatically see USSD as a payment option alongside cards, bank transfers, and mobile money.

How to Accept USSD Payments Through Monnify

Monnify supports USSD payments through its checkout product. Customers who select USSD at a Monnify checkout are presented with a USSD code to dial on their phone. The process is the same as on Paystack and Flutterwave.

Monnify's USSD support combined with its strong bank transfer infrastructure makes it particularly well suited for customers who prefer non-card payment methods.

How to Promote USSD Payments to Your Customers

Many Nigerian buyers who would happily pay by USSD do not realise it is an option because sellers do not mention it.

Add a note to your WhatsApp messages and broadcasts that your store accepts USSD payments. Something like "No smartphone? No problem. You can pay with *737# or any bank USSD code directly from your phone."

Include USSD as a payment option in your product listings and store description. Customers who see this mentioned are more likely to attempt a purchase even if they were previously hesitant about online payment.

When a customer says they cannot pay by card or bank transfer, offer USSD as an alternative before assuming the sale is lost. Many sellers lose sales at this point simply because they do not mention USSD as an option.

The Limitations of USSD Payments

USSD payments are powerful but they have limitations worth understanding.

Transaction limits are set by individual banks and are typically lower than card payment limits. A customer trying to make a large purchase may hit their daily USSD limit and need to use a different payment method.

USSD sessions can time out if the customer does not respond within a certain number of seconds at each menu step. A customer who is slow to navigate the menu may need to start the process again.

Network issues can occasionally interrupt USSD sessions. This is more common in areas with poor network coverage. When a USSD session is interrupted mid-payment, the customer may be unsure whether the payment went through. Your payment gateway should handle this gracefully by checking the transaction status and confirming or voiding accordingly.

USSD payments require the customer to have their bank PIN memorised. Customers who have forgotten their PIN or recently changed it may be unable to complete a USSD payment.

Despite these limitations, USSD remains one of the most inclusive payment methods available in Nigeria and accepting it meaningfully expands your potential customer base.

How Zerrar Ensures No Buyer Is Left Out

Zerrar integrates Paystack, Flutterwave, and Monnify into a single unified checkout. This means every payment method supported by all three gateways is available to your customers in one place.

Card payments. Bank transfers. USSD. Mobile money. Barter. QR codes. Every option that any of those three gateways supports is automatically available at your Zerrar checkout.

A customer with a smartphone pays by card. A customer without reliable internet pays by USSD. A customer who prefers bank transfers uses Monnify. Every buyer, regardless of their device, their bank, or their payment preference, has a way to complete their purchase on your Zerrar store.

You do not configure each payment method separately. You do not check three different dashboards for confirmation. Every payment, every method, every gateway, all managed in one place through your Zerrar account.

Nigerian sellers who move to Zerrar consistently discover buyers they did not know they were missing. Customers who browsed but never bought because their preferred payment method was not available. Customers in areas where card payments are less common. Customers who simply prefer USSD because it is what they use every day.

Zerrar does not just give you a store. It gives you a store that every Nigerian buyer can actually use.

Open your free Zerrar store at zerrar.com and stop leaving money on the table because of payment method gaps.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do USSD payments require internet on the customer's phone? No. USSD works entirely through the mobile network without requiring any internet connection. This is one of its key advantages for customers in areas with limited data access or those using basic phones.

Are USSD payments safe? Yes. USSD payments use the same secure banking infrastructure as ATM withdrawals and other bank transactions. The customer's PIN is entered directly into their bank's system, not on a website or app, which eliminates the risk of card detail theft.

How long does USSD payment confirmation take? USSD payment confirmation is typically instant, arriving within seconds of the customer confirming the transaction on their phone. Occasional network delays can extend this to a minute or two but extended delays are uncommon.

What happens if a USSD session times out before the customer completes payment? If the session times out, the payment is not processed and no money leaves the customer's account. The customer can start a new USSD session and attempt payment again. Your payment gateway will show the transaction as pending until it is completed or abandoned.

Is there a minimum or maximum amount for USSD payments in Nigeria? Transaction limits vary by bank and account type. Most Nigerian banks set daily USSD transaction limits between 20,000 and 100,000 naira per day. Individual transaction limits may be lower. Customers who need to make purchases above their USSD limit should use card or bank transfer instead.

Can I manually accept USSD payments without a payment gateway? Not in the way described in this guide. USSD payments require a payment gateway to generate the transaction-specific codes and confirm payments in real time. Without a gateway, you would have no way to verify that a customer has actually completed a USSD payment.