What Is the PalmPay USSD Code? *861# Guide for 2026
Quick answer
The PalmPay USSD code is *861#. Dial it from the phone number on your PalmPay account and a menu opens. No data, no app, no Wi-Fi.
Mobile data runs out at the worst times: at a bus stop, in a market, or in the middle of a power cut when your phone has 9% left. PalmPay built a way around that. If you already hold a PalmPay wallet, one short code lets you move money, buy airtime and check what you have, all through plain text menus.
What is the PalmPay USSD code?
It is *861#, a shortcode PalmPay rolled out in 2024 so customers can run common transactions from any mobile phone without an internet connection. USSD works over the phone network itself, the same way you check airtime balance on your line, which is why it also works on a basic feature phone.
PalmPay’s Nigeria management described the service as a way to widen financial access and add account security, including a feature to freeze your account remotely if your phone is lost or stolen.
Before you dial
✓A PalmPay account in your name
✓The same SIM that you registered on the account (pick the right SIM on a dual-SIM phone)
✓Your PalmPay PIN, which you will use to confirm transactions
✓A little airtime, because networks charge a small fee per USSD session
Some guides say you should switch on USSD or offline banking inside the PalmPay app first. If dialing *861# asks you to activate, open the app, look through Settings, and follow what it shows. The app is the official place for that step, and the screens can change with updates.
How to send money in 6 moves
1 Dial *861# (or the shortcut *861*1#)
2 Choose the transfer option
3 Enter the recipient’s account number and pick PalmPay or their bank
4 Type the amount
5 Confirm with your PIN
6 Wait for the confirmation SMS before you tell the other person it is done
5 PalmPay shortcuts people use most
| Task | Dial |
|---|---|
| Open the full menu | *861# |
| Transfer money | *861*1# |
| Airtime for yourself | *861*2*Amount# |
| Airtime for another number | *861*2*Amount*Phone Number# |
| Buy data | *861*3# |
| Check balance | *861*5# |
Example: to buy N500 of airtime for your own line, dial *861*2*500#. For N200 on a friend’s line, dial *861*2*200*08012345678#, using their real number.
Menu numbers beyond these, such as bill payments, history and account freeze, are not listed the same way by every source. Dial *861# and read the options on your own screen before you trust a number you found online.
What does it cost?
PalmPay’s side of USSD banking is described as free, but your mobile network can bill a small amount for each session, reported at roughly N6 to N10, even when you abandon the menu halfway. Plan your steps before you dial so you do not burn several sessions on one transfer.
Keep your wallet safe
● Never share your PIN or an SMS code with anyone, including people who say they work for PalmPay.
● Ignore other USSD codes sent to you in messages or posted in comment sections. Use *861# from official PalmPay channels.
● If your phone is stolen, use the freeze feature and contact PalmPay support quickly.
● Check the account name and number twice before you confirm a transfer, because USSD transfers are quick and hard to undo.
When *861# does not work
The menu will not open. Check that you dialed from the registered SIM and typed the star and hash exactly.
The session cuts off. USSD menus time out after a short idle period. Dial again and answer each prompt quickly.
Your PIN is rejected. Stop after a failed try and reset it in the app, since repeated wrong attempts can lock your access.
Everything fails in the evening. Networks are busiest after work. Try again mid-morning or early afternoon.
Quick questions
Can I use it on any network? Yes. Reports say it works on MTN, Airtel, Glo and 9mobile.
Do I need a smartphone? No. Any phone that can dial a code will do.
Is *652# still the code? Older posts mention it, but *861# is the code PalmPay announced.
Save *861# under “PalmPay” in your contacts and test it once while you have data, so it is ready the day you do not.
