The verdict in three sentences
In Ghana, a large share of mobile money transactions still runs through USSD, those *codes# menus that work on the humblest phone, without internet. The session lasts about 90 seconds and ends with an SMS confirmation, with a success rate around 90% (2026 order of magnitude). Ignoring USSD means cutting yourself off from the many customers without a usable smartphone.
Why USSD is still king without data
Smartphones are gaining ground, but in Accra payments must work without data, on a feature phone, in a market with no wifi. USSD consumes no internet bundle, runs on the 2G GSM network, and needs no app. It is the only truly universal channel for collecting a local mobile money payment.
| Criterion | USSD payment | App payment |
|---|---|---|
| Requires a smartphone | No | Yes |
| Requires data | No | Yes |
| Average duration | 90 s | 25 s |
| Success rate | ~90% | ~94% |
| Population coverage | ~95% | ~35% |
| Cost to the customer | 0 FCFA | Data |
| Confirmation | SMS | App notification |
The USSD flow step by step
On the merchant side, integration goes through the operator API (MTN MoMo, AirtelTigo, Vodafone Cash) which triggers a USSD push to the customer: they receive a menu, enter their PIN, confirm. The webhook returns the status to the site. The critical point is handling the session timeout and retries.
| Use case | USSD challenge | Best practice |
|---|---|---|
| Market / street vending | No wifi | USSD push + prefilled amount |
| Home delivery | Pay on receipt | Generate request on arrival |
| Top-up / subscription | Recurring renewal | SMS reminder + D+1 retry |
| Expired session (90 s) | Customer too slow | "Resend request" button |
| Insufficient balance | Frequent failure | Clear message + exact amount |
| Double payment | Duplicate risk | Idempotency via unique ID |
Mini case study
Bernadette sells fabrics in an Accra market and delivers around town. Out of 100 customers, 68 have no smartphone usable for app payment. Without USSD, she lost those sales or took risky cash. With an MTN MoMo USSD push, she now collects from 62 of those 68 customers (91% success). At an average basket of 15,000 FCFA, that secures roughly 930,000 FCFA in monthly sales that were previously fragile or lost.
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FAQ
Does USSD really work with no internet connection at all?
Yes. USSD uses the GSM signalling channel (2G), present everywhere there is phone network. That is why it covers around 95% of the population, versus ~35% for app-based payments.
How long does a USSD session last?
About 90 seconds depending on the operator. After that, the session expires and the request must be re-sent. Always provide a "resend payment request" button on the merchant side.
How do you avoid double payments over USSD?
By using an idempotency key: a unique identifier per order sent to the API. If the customer confirms twice, the operator recognizes the same transaction and charges only once.
Which operators should you support first in Ghana?
MTN MoMo, AirtelTigo Money, and Vodafone Cash cover most of the market. Integrating all three through a unified module maximizes collection, since customers won't switch operators to pay you.
Let's talk about your project. We integrate multi-operator USSD so you can collect from customers without data. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
