A Comprehensive Guide to Using Sterling Bank’s *822# USSD Code
Sterling Bank is one of Nigeria’s leading commercial banks serving over 5 million customers. Like most major banks, Sterling Bank offers USSD banking allowing customers to access financial services quickly without internet or apps.
In this detailed guide, we explore everything you need to know about Sterling Bank’s *822# USSD code, specifically for money transfers.
Introduction to Sterling Bank
Founded in 1960 and headquarter in Lagos, Sterling Bank is a full-service national bank offering retail, business, corporate and investment banking solutions. It has an asset base of over N1 trillion as of 2022.
Some of Sterling Bank’s key products/services include checking & savings accounts, business accounts, loans, insurance, SME banking, trade finance, and money transfers.
With over 200 branches across Nigeria and 600 ATMs/kiosks, Sterling Bank aims to provide last-mile banking access to the masses through an omni-channel strategy encompassing branches, POS, online and mobile apps.
Understanding USSD Banking
USSD, which stands for Unstructured Supplementary Service Data, is a banking protocol that allows basic financial transactions over the phone dial pad without requiring mobile data. Popularly known as *quickteller codes, banks assign unique * USSD codes to enable customer transactions.
To use USSD banking:
1. Dial the bank’s assigned *code# (like *822#) on your registered phone number
2. Follow the prompts to authenticate with your PIN
3. Select financial service you want like funds transfer, airtime purchase etc.
4. Confirm details to complete transaction
The process is menu-based requiring only numeric key inputs without needing to remember any syntax. This makes USSD extremely convenient for quick transactions on feature/basic phone devices without apps or data.
For Sterling Bank in Nigeria, the standard USSD code is:
*822#
Now let us see how to specifically use the *822# USSD code for money transfers.
How to Transfer Money using Sterling Bank *822#
The *822# USSD code offers different transfer options:
1. Transfer to Another Sterling Account
This allows you to transfer money to any other current/savings account within Sterling Bank instantaneously. Steps to use:
i. Dial *822#
ii. Select Option 2: Transfer
iii. Choose Option 1: Transfer to Sterling Account
iv. Enter amount to transfer
v. Input recipient’s 10-digit Sterling Account Number
vi. Confirm details and authorize payment with your transaction PIN
2. Transfer to Other Nigerian Banks
To transfer money from Sterling Bank to other banks like GTB, Zenith, UBA or First Bank, use:
i. Dial *822#
ii. Select Option 2: Transfer
iii. Choose Option 2: Transfer to Other Banks
iv. Enter amount to transfer
v. Input recipient’s 10-digit account number
vi. Input recipient’s bank name e.g GTB
vii. Confirm details and pay
Transfer Limits, Charges & Processing Timelines
While transferring money via *822#, following are maximum limits and timelines defined by Sterling Bank as of 2023:
Transfer Limits
- Maximum per transaction: ₦500,000
- Daily transfer limit: ₦3 Million
- Monthly transfer limit: ₦10 Million
Transfer Charges
- Sterling to Sterling: Free
- Sterling to Other Banks
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- Amounts below ₦10,000: ₦52
- Over ₦10,000: ₦105
Transfer Processing
- Sterling to Sterling transfers: Instant
- Sterling to Other Banks: Within 1 hour during banking hours
Please note amount limits may vary for different customers depending on account types and grades. Corporate accounts enjoy much higher transaction ceilings.
Other *822# Services Beyond Transfers
Besides money transfers, the Sterling Bank *822# code allows you to:
- Check Account Balance: Dial *822# and press 1 for available balance across all your Sterling accounts
- Buy Airtime/Data: Select option 3 to recharge your mobile airtime, data, cableTV quickly
- Pay Bills: Never forget bill payments by scheduling recurring payments for utilities, fees etc
- Generate/Disable USSD PIN: Secure your account by opting for additional PIN authorization
- Mini Statement: Retrieve last 5 transactions with option 6
Additional Resources
Here are some additional references for using Sterling Bank services:
- Sterling Bank Website: https://www.sterling.ng
- Mobile App Downloads: https://www.sterling.ng/personal/mobile-app
- List of All Banks USSD Codes: https://www.pulse.ng/news/local/sterling-bank-all-nigerian-banks-ussd-transfer-codes/e6ppd73
- Customer Care: 070078377437
So in summary, dialing *822# USSD code provides Sterling Bank customers a fast, secure and low-cost channel for accessing banking services 24×7 directly from your mobile phone without internet requirements.
Conclusion
USSD will continue to remain an important digital financial services channel in Nigeria given low smartphone penetration and underdeveloped last-mile infrastructure restricting internet availability. Sterling Bank’s long code *822# neatly packages routine transactions like money transfers, bill payments and recharges without apps as an inclusion gateway.
As highlighted above, options like account-to-account transfers or sending money to other banks is straightforward via the interactive menu by confirming key details. Through this mobile is helping bridge the infrastructure gap in reaching banking services to common Nigerians.
Frequently Asked Questions
*1. Is there any limit on the number of times I can transfer money using 822# per day?
You can make a maximum of 10 money transfers per day using *822# as per Sterling Bank limits, subject to maximum daily ceiling of ₦3 Million for retail individual clients.
*2. Can I use 822# if my phone number is not registered with Sterling Bank?
No, to use Sterling Bank’s USSD services your number has to be registered and mapped with your Sterling Bank account. This is required to send the authentication PINs.
*3. What happens if I dial 822# USSD code from other banks?
If you mistakenly dial *822# from another bank, it will give a message that the service code does not exist or is invalid since *822# is exclusive for Sterling Bank only.
*4. My friend has Sterling and I have UBA. Can I still send them money via 822#?
Yes, Sterling *822# allows you to conveniently send money even to recipients having accounts in other banks like GTB, UBA etc directly by specifying their bank details.
ALSO SEE:
EcoBank USSD Transfer Code: Easy Banking
Ecobank Transfer code To Other Banks