In Ghana, plenty of your customers are on a feature phone, or holding off on data to make it last. Yet they can still bank with you, pay you, and answer your questions — just by dialling a short code.
That is what USSD does for a business. Here is what it actually delivers, who each use fits, and how to get started.
What is USSD, and how does it work?
USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) is the technology behind the codes you dial that start with * and end with #. Type one in, and a menu opens on the screen — no app to install, no data to spend.
It runs a real-time, two-way session between the phone and the business’s system. While that session stays open, the customer makes a choice, your system replies, they choose again — back and forth in seconds. That is the key difference from one-way SMS: USSD is a live conversation, not a single text.
How a USSD session flows
- The customer dials your code — for example, a short string like
*123#. (A shortcode is the dialled number that opens your service.) - A menu appears — “1. Check balance, 2. Pay a bill, 3. Talk to support.”
- They make a selection, and your application sends back the next screen.
- The session ends when the task is done or the customer exits.
No internet, no smartphone, no download. That is why USSD reaches customers an app never will. If you are weighing it against text or chat, our guide on USSD vs SMS vs WhatsApp for business breaks down when each channel wins. For the full picture of how interactive USSD shapes the customer experience, start with our complete guide to USSD for business in Africa.
7 business uses of USSD
USSD earns its place wherever you need to reach customers instantly, on any phone, without forcing an app or a data plan. Here are the seven that matter most for a growing business.
1. USSD payments — paying by code
The problem: Many customers can’t or won’t check out on your website or app, but they want to pay.
How USSD solves it: A customer dials a code, picks what they’re paying for, and authorizes the charge from their phone. No card details typed on a tiny screen, no app to open. (More on exactly how the money moves below — USSD is the menu, not the wallet.)
Who it fits: Retailers, billers, schools, churches, and any business collecting payments from customers who live on feature phones or low data.
2. USSD banking and balance checks
The problem: Banking apps need a smartphone and internet. A large share of customers have neither, or simply prefer not to use data for a quick check.
How USSD solves it: Customers check balances, move money, and confirm transactions by dialling a code — on any handset. This is why USSD banking (sometimes called cellphone banking) is the workhorse channel for financial services across the country.
Who it fits: Banks, microfinance institutions, savings groups, and insurers serving customers beyond the smartphone-and-data segment.
3. Mobile money top-ups, airtime and data
The problem: Customers need to buy airtime, data bundles, or top up a wallet — quickly, anywhere, on any phone.
How USSD solves it: A short menu lets them choose an amount and confirm in seconds. It is the same dial-a-code habit millions of Ghanaians already use every day, which means zero learning curve.
Who it fits: Telcos, agents, fintechs, and resellers moving high volumes of small, frequent transactions.
4. Customer self-service menus
The problem: Your call centre is buried under “what’s my balance?” and “where’s my order?” calls that don’t need a human.
How USSD solves it: Put the common requests behind a self-service menu — order status, account details, FAQs, support routing. Customers help themselves in seconds, and your team handles the calls that actually need them. (Self-service over USSD is often what people mean by “selfcare” menus.)
Who it fits: Utilities, telcos, e-commerce, and any business with a high volume of repetitive enquiries.
5. Surveys and feedback collection
The problem: Web surveys and email forms miss the customers who aren’t online — and that’s a lot of your market.
How USSD solves it: Push a short interactive survey that any customer can answer on the spot, on any phone, with no data cost. You gather real-time feedback from people other survey tools never reach. It is a practical, inclusive way to run mobile marketing research.
Who it fits: Brands, NGOs, field teams, and research outfits collecting responses where internet is patchy.
6. Loyalty, coupons and vouchers
The problem: Loyalty programmes that live in an app exclude the customers who never download it.
How USSD solves it: Members check points, redeem rewards, and claim vouchers by dialling a code — so everyone can take part, not just smartphone users.
Who it fits: Retailers, FMCG brands, and service businesses running rewards or promotional campaigns.
7. Registration and onboarding
The problem: Sign-up forms that require a browser or an app lose customers before they start.
How USSD solves it: Capture the essentials through a guided menu — name, location, a few choices — and onboard customers wherever they are, on whatever phone they own.
Who it fits: Insurers, financial services, loyalty schemes, and any business that needs to register customers at scale and in the field.
See how Arkesel’s USSD Solutions power these on any phone. Explore the USSD Solutions platform and what it can do for your business.
How USSD payments really work
This is where most overviews get it wrong, so it’s worth being precise.
USSD is the interface — the interactive menu the customer dials into. It is not the thing that holds or moves the money. When a customer pays, the actual debit and authorization run over the rails they bank with: their mobile money wallet or their bank account, which they confirm with their own PIN. (“Rails” here just means the payment system that holds the funds and settles the transaction.)
So the flow looks like this: the customer dials your code, the USSD menu shows them what they’re paying for, and the charge is authorized against their wallet or bank — on those systems, with their PIN — not on USSD itself. USSD makes the experience instant and app-free; the mobile money or bank rails do the settling.
This matters for two reasons. First, it keeps your expectations honest: you’re building the front door, not the vault. Second, it’s reassuring for customers — authorization stays inside the wallet or bank they already trust, behind their PIN.
For a deeper look at banking, mobile money, and payment use cases, see our guide on USSD for financial services and mobile money in Africa. Costs vary by use case and volume — for current figures, check the Arkesel pricing page.
Why USSD fits the Ghana and Africa market
USSD isn’t a fallback here. It’s a primary channel.
A large part of the market still runs on feature phones, and even smartphone owners ration data. USSD sidesteps both: it works on any handset, costs the customer no data, and feels familiar because dialling codes is already an everyday habit. That reach is the whole point — you meet customers where they are instead of asking them to come to an app.
Arkesel’s USSD Solutions work in Ghana across the major mobile networks — MTN, Telecel, and AirtelTigo — so a single setup reaches customers on every network. For an honest comparison of when a USSD service beats building a mobile app, read our guide on USSD vs a mobile app in Africa.
Getting started with USSD for your business
Two pieces turn USSD into a working service:
- A shortcode — the number customers dial to reach you. Choosing the right one matters; our guide on how to choose a USSD shortcode provider in Ghana and our walkthrough on getting a USSD shortcode for your business in Ghana cover the details.
- A USSD application — the menus and logic behind the code. Arkesel provisions custom USSD codes and lets your team build multi-level interactive menus through its USSD API, with the session handling managed for you. To go deeper on the build, see our USSD application development guide and USSD menu design best practices.
You don’t need to wire all of this together yourself. The point of a managed USSD platform is that the hard parts — the carrier connections, the session management, the menu engine — are handled, so you focus on the experience your customers see.
Frequently asked questions
What is USSD?
USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) is the technology behind the *code# numbers you dial to open a menu on your phone. It runs a real-time session between the phone and a business’s system, with no app and no data required.
What is USSD used for in business?
Businesses use USSD for payments, mobile banking, airtime and data top-ups, customer self-service, surveys, loyalty programmes, and registration — anywhere they need to reach customers instantly on any phone, including feature phones.
What is a USSD payment and how does it work?
A USSD payment lets a customer pay by dialling a code and choosing from a menu. USSD is the interactive interface; the actual charge is authorized against the customer’s mobile money wallet or bank account, confirmed with their PIN — USSD doesn’t hold or move the money itself.
What is USSD banking?
USSD banking — also called cellphone banking — lets customers check balances, transfer money, and confirm transactions by dialling a code on any phone, without an app or internet. It is widely used for financial services across Ghana.
Does USSD need internet or a smartphone?
No. USSD works on any mobile device, including feature phones, with zero data cost for the customer. That’s why it reaches people an app or website can’t.
Is USSD secure?
USSD sessions are protected by PIN authorization and the security of the wallet or bank rails behind the payment. For how transactions are kept safe, see our guide on USSD security and mobile transaction protection.
How do I get USSD for my business in Ghana?
You need a shortcode and a USSD application. Arkesel provisions custom USSD codes across MTN, Telecel, and AirtelTigo and provides the API to build your menus. Talk to our team to set it up.
Put a USSD code to work for your business
USSD reaches every customer in Ghana — on any phone, no app, no data. From payments and banking to surveys and self-service, it turns a short dialled code into a real service customers actually use.
Ready to put a USSD code to work for your business in Ghana? Talk to our team, or create an account to get started.
