UBA Unveils Advance Top-Up Feature for Seamless Airtime, Data Access

Nume Ekeghe

In a bold step to deepen digital financial inclusion and enhance customer experience, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has introduced a new feature on its USSD banking platform, *919#, tagged “Advance Top-Up.”

The service enables customers to access airtime and data instantly, even when they are out of credit or disconnected from the internet.

Unveiled at the bank’s head office in Lagos, recently, the Advance Top-Up feature allows users to conveniently borrow airtime or data directly from their mobile devices eliminating disruptions in connectivity and easing communication barriers.

UBA’s Group Head, Retail and Digital Banking, Shamsideen Fashola, who spoke during the official launch, described the feature as a timely addition to the bank’s digital offerings and a testament to the its customer-first approach.

“At UBA, we are constantly looking for ways to make banking and everyday services more accessible for our customers. With the launch of Advance Top-Up on our USSD platform, *919#, we are giving our customers the power to stay connected without interruption, regardless of time, location, or airtime balance,” Shamsideen said.

UBA’s Advance Top-Up which is now live on *919#, joins a wide range of services on the platform, which include airtime and data purchases, money transfers to UBA and other banks, account balance checks, card blocking and freezing, online transaction controls, bill payments, and more.

Fashola emphasised the simplicity and convenience of the solution, adding that “You don’t need to download an app or visit a data centre. Just dial *919#, follow the prompt, and you’re immediately connected. It’s simple, fast, and reliable.”

The Bank’s Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communication, Alero Ladipo, added that the feature was developed based on real feedback from customers and their evolving needs.

“Our users asked for a way to stay connected when they have no airtime, and as always, we have come up with a quick solution, right there on their phones, instantly, with no fuss, and no need for internet connectivity. Whether for emergency communications or business continuity, *919# puts instant connectivity in every customer’s hands,” she explained.

She explained that only recently, the bank unveiled its newly improved Point of Sale (POS) Terminal as well as the UBA MONI App to redefine the digital payment landscape and empower small and Medium Scale Enterprises across Africa.