Your DStv just went off, your phone doesn't have the MyDStv app, and your data is finished. You still have six ways to pay and reconnect — and none of them require downloading anything, waiting for an app update, or sharing your login details with anyone else. This guide maps out every method that works without the app, and tells you exactly which USSD codes to dial for each major Nigerian bank.

Quick Answer

Dial *288# from your registered mobile number to access DStv's own self-service USSD platform — it lets you check your balance, select a package, and pay directly without needing any app, data, or internet connection. Your bank's own USSD code also works under the "Pay Bills" menu. Both methods reconnect your decoder within minutes of a successful payment.

What You Need Before You Start

  • Your DStv smartcard number (also called your IUC number) — the 10-digit number printed on the white card inserted into your decoder, or shown under your decoder's Settings or System Info menu. Write this number down somewhere safe before your DStv expires — looking for it with a blank TV screen and no data is more stressful than it needs to be.
  • The registered mobile number on your DStv account (for DStv's own USSD) or the number linked to your bank account (for bank USSD)
  • Sufficient balance in your bank account or mobile wallet

*Method 1 — DStv's Own USSD Code (288#)

This is DStv's dedicated self-service line and the most direct no-app option. It works on MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile, requires no data, and is the only method where you interact directly with MultiChoice's own system rather than routing through a bank or third-party platform.

Steps:

  1. Dial *288# from the mobile number registered on your DStv account.
  2. On the first screen, confirm whether you're a DStv or GOtv customer.
  3. Enter your smartcard number to verify your account.
  4. From the main menu, select option 3 — Pay Account.
  5. Choose your payment method from the options shown — you can pay via your linked bank account, a card you've previously saved, or select a new payment method.
  6. Select the package you want to pay for (stay on current, or change to a different bouquet).
  7. Confirm the amount and complete the payment with your PIN or authentication.
  8. Your decoder reconnects automatically once the payment reflects — usually within a few minutes.

*What else 288# can do: Beyond payment, the *288# menu lets you check your outstanding balance, view your last four transactions, fix certain error codes on your decoder, transfer funds between linked DStv and GOtv accounts, and reconnect a disconnected subscription. It's essentially the full self-service portal compressed into a USSD flow, and it's available 24 hours a day without needing internet or the app.

Important: You must dial from the same phone number that's registered on your DStv account, otherwise you'll be asked to verify identity in additional steps or the payment may not link to your account correctly. If you've changed your number since you set up your DStv account, update it with MultiChoice first.

Setting Up Auto-Renewal — So This Never Happens Again

While this article is about paying without the app, if having your DStv cut off at the wrong moment is a recurring issue for you, the auto-renewal feature is worth setting up once so it stops being a problem at all. Auto-renewal automatically deducts your subscription from your linked bank account or card on your due date every month, with no manual action required.

To set up auto-renewal, you do need to use the MyDStv app, the DStv website, or the WhatsApp self-service (send "Hi" to 0803 900 3788) to link your bank account or card for recurring payments. Once it's set up, you never need to manually pay again as long as your card or account is funded on your due date. The WhatsApp option is particularly useful since most people have WhatsApp even when they haven't installed the DStv app specifically.

Method 2 — DStv's eTranzact USSD (3899#)

This is a secondary USSD option running on the eTranzact payment network rather than directly through MultiChoice:

  1. Dial 3899*[your smartcard number]# from your phone.
  2. A menu will appear — select whether you want to stay on your current bouquet or change to a new one.
  3. Choose your payment method (linked bank account, mobile money, or saved card).
  4. Confirm and complete the payment.

This code is particularly well known and widely used in Nigeria, so if *288# gives you any trouble, this is a reliable alternative to try.

Method 3 — Bank-Specific USSD Codes for DStv

Every major Nigerian bank supports DStv payment via USSD. The quickest path is your bank's direct shortcode for cable TV bills, where it exists:

Bank Direct DStv USSD Code Alternative — Menu Navigation
GTBank 737[Amount]507[SmartcardNumber]# Dial *737#, select Pay Bills → Cable TV → DStv
Zenith Bank 966[Amount]32[SmartcardNumber]# Dial *966#, select Pay Bills → Cable TV → DStv
FCMB 3292*[Amount]*[SmartcardNumber]# Dial 3292# and follow the prompts
Fidelity Bank 7701099*[SmartcardNumber]*[Amount]# Dial *770#, select Pay Bills → DStv (code 1099)
Wema Bank 94511*[SmartcardNumber]# Dial *945#, select Pay Bills → Cable TV
Access Bank Dial *901#, select Pay Bills → Cable TV → DStv Enter your smartcard number and amount
UBA Dial 9195# and follow the prompts Select Cable TV → DStv
First Bank Dial *894#, select Pay Bills → Cable TV → DStv Follow the menu
OPay Dial 9556# for bill payments Select DStv from the Cable TV menu
Moniepoint Dial *5573# and navigate to bill payments Select Cable TV → DStv

For GTBank's direct code, replace [Amount] with the naira figure (e.g. 30000 for Compact Plus) and [SmartcardNumber] with your 10-digit IUC number, then confirm with your USSD PIN. The name on your DStv account will be displayed before you confirm — this is your check that the smartcard number was entered correctly.

Method 4 — Your Bank Mobile App

If you have data but not the DStv app specifically, your bank's app covers this in seconds without any additional download — and because your smartcard number gets saved in your payment history, the second and subsequent renewals are even faster:

  1. Open your bank app and log in.
  2. Go to Pay Bills or Bill Payments.
  3. Select Cable TV or search for MultiChoice / DStv.
  4. Enter your 10-digit smartcard number and confirm the account holder's name displayed matches your DStv account — if the wrong name appears, stop here, you've entered the wrong smartcard number.
  5. Enter the amount for your chosen package (check Article 11 of this blog series for current package prices if you're unsure).
  6. Confirm with your transaction PIN or biometric.
  7. Reconnection is typically instant once payment confirms.

Every major Nigerian bank app (GTWorld, Access More, UBA Mobile, Zenith Eazybanking, FirstMobile, ALAT by Wema, FCMB mobile) supports this. Saved beneficiaries for bill payments — including cable TV billers — also let you set up a "favourite payee" for DStv on some banks, so next month is literally one tap.

Method 5 — Third-Party Bill Payment Platforms

If you already have an account on one of these platforms, DStv payment is immediate and they all support the full range of DStv packages:

  • VTpass — cable TV section, enter your smartcard number, choose DStv, pick your package, pay with your card, wallet, or bank transfer
  • Quickteller — same flow; also accessible via the Interswitch Quickteller USSD shortcut on some networks
  • Jumia Pay / Payora / Bigisub — straightforward DStv payment flow

These platforms charge a small convenience fee (typically ₦100–₦150) on top of the subscription amount, unlike paying directly via bank USSD or the *288# code, which usually carries no separate platform charge beyond any bank SMS notification fees.

Method 6 — Bank Internet Banking (Online)

If you're on a desktop or laptop with a browser and no DStv app:

  1. Log into your bank's internet banking portal.
  2. Navigate to Bill Payments or Pay Bills.
  3. Search for DStv or MultiChoice as the biller.
  4. Enter your smartcard number, confirm the name, select the amount, and authorize the payment.

The reconnection process is the same regardless of whether you pay via the app, USSD, or internet banking.

Method 7 — Mobile Money and POS Agents

If you're paying cash without any digital payment method at all — no card, no account balance, just naira in hand — this is the route:

  • Walk into any OPay, PalmPay, MTN MoMo, or Moniepoint agent with your smartcard number written down and the cash ready.
  • Tell the agent you want to pay DStv, give them your IUC number and the package amount.
  • They'll process the payment on their POS device and you'll receive an SMS confirmation once it clears — typically within a minute or two.
  • There's usually a small agent fee of around ₦100, which is standard across all POS bill payment transactions.

This is the method most suited to households where the account holder doesn't do mobile banking personally but can send a family member or house help to an agent nearby. The only information needed is the smartcard number and the correct amount — no bank card or login details required, which also eliminates the risk of sharing sensitive account access.

If Your Decoder Doesn't Reconnect After Payment

Payment usually triggers an automatic reconnection signal to your decoder within a few minutes. If your channels don't return after 10 to 15 minutes:

Option 1 — SMS reconnection signal Send "RESET [your smartcard number]" (without quotes) to 30333. You'll receive a confirmation SMS and channels should return within 15 minutes.

Option 2 — USSD reconnection Dial 2882# and select the reconnect option. This sends a direct signal to your decoder.

Option 3 — WhatsApp Send "RA [your smartcard number]" to MultiChoice's WhatsApp number 0803 900 3788 to request a reauthorisation signal.

Option 4 — Make sure your decoder is on and has signal A payment correctly made won't reconnect a decoder that's turned off or has lost its satellite signal. Confirm the decoder is on standby or active, and that your dish still has a signal lock, before assuming the payment failed.

Common Problems (If This Doesn't Work)

Transaction went through but channels didn't return after 15 minutes and the SMS/USSD reconnect didn't work either Call MultiChoice Nigeria customer care on 01 270 3232 or 0803 900 3788 with your transaction reference and smartcard number. This is a rare but genuine platform sync issue that requires a manual push from their end.

You accidentally paid for the wrong package Overpayments for a different package go onto your account as credit — call customer care immediately with your transaction reference to have it applied to the correct package before the system auto-allocates it.

Wrong smartcard number entered If payment went to someone else's smartcard, the reversal process goes through your bank (for USSD and bank transfer payments) or through the third-party platform's support team. Act quickly and have your transaction reference ready — banks can typically recall misdirected bill payments if you report within the same business day.

MultiChoice Nigeria: phone 01 270 3232 or 0803 900 3788. Email: dstv@multichoice.com.ng. Office: Plot 1381, Tiamiyu Savage Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Bookmark this page — USSD codes and menu structures change periodically with bank system upgrades, and MultiChoice occasionally updates the *288# flow when they overhaul the self-service platform. If a specific code in this guide throws an error, try your bank's main code and navigate the bills menu instead rather than assuming all USSD options have failed. Still stuck getting your decoder reconnected after payment? Drop your payment method, how long it's been since you paid, and the exact decoder screen message in the comments and we'll help you sort it out.