*5050#! Banking That Partners With You

Dial *5050# and start banking in seconds, anytime, on any phone.

what if banking was as easy as 5050

Now it is!
Whether you’re low on airtime, need to send money, or want to pay a bill in traffic, *5050# gives you instant access to your money — no smartphones, no excuses.

What Can You Do with *5050#?

Open an Account – No paperwork. Just your BVN.

Buy Airtime for you or your loved ones

Transfer Money to any bank in Nigeria

Check Balance or view your Account Number

Pay Bills – Electricity, TV, Subscriptions, you name it

Buy Data in seconds

Manage & Block Cards securely

Block Your Account or App if your phone is stolen

Reset Your PIN with ease

Quick Commands.

  • Airtime (Self): *5050*100#
  • Airtime (Others): *5050*100*08012345678#
  • Transfers: *5050*2000*0123456789# is coming soon
  • Emergency Block: *5050*911#

No Setup Stress. Just Start.

Already a customer?

  • Register using your debit card or BVN

New to The Alternative Bank?

  • Dial *5050#, hit “Open Account,” and join the movement — in under 2 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

USSD stands for Unstructured Supplementary Service Data.

The Alternative Bank’s USSD customers have access to financial services by simply dialing *5050#. With a single code on any mobile device, you can access essential services like airtime recharge, data purchase, instant transfers, bill payments, account balance enquiry and more without internet or data. Getting started is quick and hassle-free. Dial *5050# now and unlock a world of convenience at your fingertips!

• Account Opening

• Airtime Purchase

• Transfers

• Account Balance Enquiry

• Account Number Enquiry

• Block Series

• Bill Payment

• Data Purchase

• Card Management: Card Activation and Block Card

• Pin Reset

  • Self-service registration.
  • Does not require mobile data or internet.
  • It works with any kind of mobile device that has a valid and active sim card
  • Easy, simple, fast and convenient
  • • The service is available to all Telco (Airtel, Glo, MTN, 9Mobile).
  • • Available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week
  • • Customer is required to create transaction PIN for secure transactions.
  • • An additional PIN (PIN 2) is required to transact with higher limits (Above N20,000 up to N100,000). Customers who wish to increase their limit can do so with their debit card, to a maximum of N100,000 per transaction.

You can easily recharge your phone at any time and from anywhere using the Alternative Bank’s *5050# USSD code buy selecting Airtime top up from the menu. It is easy, fast and convenient. You can also use the quick strings below:

• Buy airtime for your phone - *5050*Airtime Amount#

• Send airtime to friends and family - *5050*AirtimeAmount*PhoneNumber#

Benefits:

• It’s easy, swift and simple to use

• Airtime can be purchased at any time and from anywhere.

• Transaction takes less than 20 seconds to receive value.

• Purchase airtime from any of your individual account with the Alternative Bank

• Daily airtime top-up limit is N20,000 either through the quick string or main menu.

You can easily transfer funds anytime and anywhere using the Alternative Bank’s 5050# USSD code. Simply select "Transfer" from the menu for a seamless process. For an even quicker option, use the quick string *5050*Amount*AccountNumber# to send money instantly. It's fast, secure, and convenient!

Benefits:

• It’s convenient and saves you the stress of going to the bank and filling forms.

• The transaction processes within 20 seconds.

• With *5050#, you can transfer funds to any bank in Nigeria, and other Financial Institutions.

• Available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week

• Default transfer transaction limit is N20,000, and daily limit is N100,000.  Customer can transfer up to N100,000 by creating a new PIN (PIN 2)

Stay connected with affordable mobile data bundles that suit your browsing needs. Whether it's for social media, work, or entertainment, we've got you covered. Simply dial *5050# and select "Buy Data" from the menu to choose the data plan that works best for you

Paying bills shouldn't add to your stress! With the Alternative Bank's USSD code *5050#, you can settle all your household bills—from DSTV and electricity to subscriptions and more, in less than 2 minutes, all from the comfort of your home.

You don’t need to memorize your account number anymore! Simply dial *5050# and select "Account Balance" from the menu to quickly retrieve your account number anytime, anywhere.

You can manage your debit card effortlessly using *5050#. Simply select "Card Management" from the list of menu options to block your card immediately if it’s lost or stolen, or to activate a new card securely and conveniently.

Benefits:

• Easily control how your debit card works from your convenience.

• This service is enabled/disabled instantly, and the process is within 20 seconds.

• This service is available 24/7 to USSD registered customers.

• All debit card tied to customers profile will be displayed.

• Works with phone numbers registered with customer’s USSD service.

For customers with an account with the Alternative Bank, registration is simple and can be completed in two ways, depending on whether you have a card linked to your account or not:

• Registration Using Card: If you have a debit or credit card attached to your account, you can register using the details on your card. Simply dial *5050#, select the registration option, and follow the prompts to enter your card information.

• Registration Using BVN: For customers without a card linked to their account, registration can be done using your BVN (Bank Verification Number). Dial *5050#, select the BVN option, and follow the instructions to complete your registration.

Yes, you can! Simply dial *5050# and select the "Open Account" option on the USSD menu to get started. All you need is your BVN. It’s quick, easy, and allows you to become a customer instantly, giving you access to all the features and benefits of the *5050# service.

Benefits:

• Open an account in less than 2 minutes without completing any form.

• Save on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.

• No airtime or data needed to open an account

An auto reversal to credit your account will be effected within 24 hours. If this does not take place, kindly contact our Contact Centre on 0201-7000555 or send an email to [email protected]

The Block series feature enables all individual account holders restrict access to their USSD,

AltBank, Account or Card to place debit restriction on their bank account, when they feel that

access to either of the channels have been compromised. Simply dial *5050*911# or *5050*911*Phone No# to select the option you wish to proceed with. Stay in control and protect your account with ease! (Note: This must be the number registered with the bank.)

Call our contact Centre on 0201-7000555 to disable USSD service on your account.

*5050# uses encryption and secure protocols to protect your financial information and ensure your transactions are safe. During registration, you are required to set and confirm a personal 4-digit PIN, which ensures your transactions remain private and protected. Additionally, if you plan to transfer amounts exceeding N20,000 per transaction, you will be prompted to create a secondary PIN (PIN 2) using your debit card for added security. Always keep your PINs confidential and do not share them with anyone.

Has your PIN been compromised? Or have you forgotten your transaction PIN? Yes? Alright, you can easily reset your USSD transaction PIN with *5050#. To change your PIN, dial *5050#, select Pin Reset from the option on the menu and follow the prompts.

Transfer – within the Alternative Bank – N21.5 (VAT inclusive)

Other banks –

• N0 – N5,000: N10.75 (VAT inclusive)

• N5,001 – N50,000: N26.88 (VAT inclusive)

• N50,001 and above: N53.75 (VAT inclusive)

Check Account Balance – N10.75 (VAT inclusive)

Retrieve Account Number – N10.75 (VAT inclusive)

Bill Payment – N107.5 (VAT inclusive)

• No Internet Required: Works on any mobile phone, no matter your data connection status.

• Fast & Convenient: Complete transactions in seconds with just a few simple steps.

• Secure: Your transactions are protected with multiple layers of encryption to ensure your peace of mind.

• Accessible: Available 24/7, even if you’re on the go or in areas with low network connectivity.

Tell us your story

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Abubakar Muhammad Musa

Summary

Abubakar Muhammad Musa is currently a Sharia Advisor and Consultant for SHAPE Knowledge Services a consulting firm based in Kuwait. He has been involved in product development, Sharia research and approval of Islamic banking products for different clients. His work covers retail banking, corporate banking and project finance deals.

Formerly, Abubakar worked as a Researcher in different units at International Shariah Research Academy for Islamic Finance (ISRA) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Besides his primary assignments in ISRA, he taught Shariah Rules in Financial Transactions to Chartered Islamic Finance Professional (CIFP) Masters online Students of International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance (INCEIF), Malaysia. He also taught MBA and BBA Students different Islamic Banking and Finance Subjects at University College of Bahrain.

Abubakar holds two Diplomas with distinction, one in Islamic Law and the other in Arabic Language from Al-Imam University Riyadh. He also holds LLB (Hons) degree in Shariah from the same University. He successfully completed his (CIFP) Professional Masters Degree Programme at (INCEIF), Malaysia. He had his internship program on Islamic Banking & Finance at Fajr Capital in Kuala Lumpur. During the programme, Abubakar conducted research relating to product structuring and market development.

Abdurraheem Ahmad Sayi

Summary

Abdurraheem Ahmad Sayi is a legal practitioner and Consultant of over 16 years of active legal practice. He is currently the principal partner, A.A. Sayi & Co. (Qist Chambers) and Qadi, Independent Shari’ah Panel of Lagos State – a platform, through which he has delivered several judgments of in-depth analysis, widely applauded by leading legal and intellectual icons, including learned Judges, professors of law and Islamic Studies.

He is the Executive Director/C.E.O., ClearPath Islamic Centre (Incorporated), Lekki-Lagos and Chief Imam, SilverPoint Central Mosque, Badore, Ajah-Lagos. Fondly called Imam Sayi, Abdurraheem is the designate Chairman, Shari’ah Advisory Committee, Mutual Benefit Takaaful.

Imam Sayi has also authored a few works, some of which include: The Financial Obligations: a compendium of essays on monetary or material obligations under Islamic Law and Waqf (Charity Endowment): The Governing Principles.

He holds a Certificate on Improving Personal Effectiveness from the Lagos Business School (Pan African University) and he is a recipient of numerous awards and certificates of merits.

Abdulkader Thomas

Education:

Master of Arts Law and Diplomacy, The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy.

Bachelor of Arts Arabic & Islamic Studies, The University of Chicago.

Shariah Board Experience:

Bank Muscat Meethaq (2013 – 2017)

Sterling Bank Nigeria (Since 2013)

University Bank, USA (Since 2006)

Summary

Abdulkader Thomas has over 35 years of diversified financial services experience in major markets. With a Master of Arts Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy and a BA in Arabic & Islamic Studies from The University of Chicago. His areas of activity have included trade finance, real estate finance, securities and alternative finance.

As the general manager of a foreign bank branch in New York, he secured the first US regulatory approvals of Islamic mortgage and instalment credit/sale as banking instruments. Later, he secured US regulatory approval for profit sharing deposits. Abdulkader has been involved in the successful implementation of these products in the US market. With more than 17years Shariah Board Experience in Bank Muscat Meethaq, Sterling Bank Nigeria and University Bank USA, Abdulkader has worked on IFTA projects in Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia, and an authority on Islamic deal structures and securities.

He also serves as a director of Alkhabeer Capital in Jeddah and Chairman of Alkhabeer (DIFC). He is a member of the international advisory board of the Securities Commission of Malaysia, a published author, and an active speaker on Islamic finance.