E-Financial
3rd Party Touch-Based Payment Service to Increase 150%- Deloitte

Deloitte Global has predicted that in 2016, the number of individuals who use a third party touch-based payment service to make a purchase on their mobile devices (smartphones and tablets) should increase 150 percent, to reach 50 million regular users.
Executive summary of the document titled, “Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT) Predictions 2016”, obtained by Nigeria CommunicationsWeek described ‘Touch Commerce’ as enables a customer to make a secure first-time or subsequent payment on any merchant’s website or app without having to provide registration or log-in details either to the merchant or to the payment service.
Authorizing the transaction on a mobile device simply requires the application of a fingerprint or a few touches of a screen, significantly reducing the time taken from browsing to transaction from tens of seconds or even minutes to mere seconds.
Touch commerce, according to Deloitte, enables retailers to exploit shoppers’ increasing use of mobile devices to browse retail sites and apps.
“Transactions on sites and apps remain scarce, with laborious payment processes often to blame. Indeed cart abandonment in mobile commerce can be as high as 80 percent. Easier checkout has been identified as a key factor/key requirement for increased mobile buying.
There are likely to be two principal types of third-party touch-based mobile payment services in 2016. One is linked to the device’s operating system (OS). Shopping applications can use existing information associated with the OS, including payment card details and home address”.
Deloitte Global expects this category should represent the majority of touch-based payments made in 2016: there are billions of smartphones that have payment card and home address information associated with them.
Additionally, the base of fingerprint reader-equipped devices is steadily rising, with more than 450 million forecast to ship this year, adding to the existing base of hundreds of millions’.
“The second type of third-party touch-based mobile payment service is linked to existing payment service providers.
Prior to being able to make purchases by one or two touches of the screen, the user would need to have opened an account with the payment provider and elected to stay logged in for future purchases.
“Once this feature is enabled, the user simply has to press buy and confirm buttons. Confirmation can be via a fingerprint with some devices.
“These payment services enable retailers to outsource mobile transactions to third parties, and by so doing, convert payment from a frustrating to a friction-free experience.
“One merchant reported that the checkout process via their legacy app required 103 seconds for customers to type in their full credit card and shipping information; third-party touch payment reduced this to just 17 seconds.
“Other payment services may emerge soon. For example, some large retailers could enable their customers to use pre-stored payment data to validate purchases made on other retailers’ apps.
“Today’s consumers are constantly connected to their smartphones, from the early hours in the morning to late at night, when at work, while spending time with family and friends or while commuting. Touch commerce provides opportunities for converting browsing into purchases with a simplified payment process,” the document reads.
E-Financial
Secret Service Seizes $400M in Crypto, Cold Wallet among World’s Largest

US Secret Service has quietly seized nearly $400 million in digital assets over the past decade, amassing one of the world’s largest crypto cold wallets, Bloomberg reported at the weekend, citing people familiar with the matter.
The agency’s Global Investigative Operations Center (GIOC) has tracked funds through open-source tools, blockchain analysis, and patience, Jamie Lam, an investigative analyst with the US Secret Service, reportedly told law enforcement officials in Bermuda last month.
The agency’s crypto trove, much of which sits in a single cold-storage wallet, results from a string of investigations into scams. Scammers lure targets into seemingly legitimate crypto investment platforms in one typical scheme.
Victims often see initial profits before the sites vanish with their deposits.
“That’s how they do it,” Lam said. “They’ll send you a photo of a really good-looking guy or girl. But it’s probably some old guy in Russia.”
Lam’s team uses domain records, blockchain transactions, and VPN slip-ups to identify fraudsters. In one case, a cryptocurrency payment led investigators to another wallet. In another one, a brief VPN failure exposed an IP address, helping agents piece together the scam’s digital trail.
At the helm of the Secret Service’s crypto strategy is Kali Smith, who directs a team that has trained officials in over 60 countries to unmask online financial crimes.
The agency has focused on jurisdictions with weak oversight or programs selling residency to foreign nationals. “Sometimes after just a week-long training, they can be like, ‘Wow, we didn’t even realize that this is occurring in our country,’” Smith said.
The Secret Service’s work has uncovered scams ranging from romance-investment schemes to sextortion cases. One investigation involved an Idaho teenager who sent a nude photo to an online stranger. The scammer extorted $300 twice before the teen went to the police.
Analysts traced the payments through another coerced teenager acting as a money mule, leading to an account tied to nearly $4.1 million in transactions under a Nigerian passport.
British police arrested the suspected extortionist when he arrived in Guildford, England, where he remains in custody pending extradition.
E-Financial
Ascensia Finance Commences Operations in Abuja

Ascensia Finance Company has officially commenced operations to provide financial intermediation services in Abuja.
Licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in April, the financial institution aims to support individuals and small businesses through customised financial solutions delivered via efficient and accessible channels.
It offers a broad range of services, including loans, investment products, and financial advisory services tailored to meet the evolving needs of its customers.
In a statement, Mr. Jude Ezeami, Managing Director/Chief Executive, Ascensia, stated that proud member of the Finance House Association of Nigeria (FHAN), and in partnership with the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS) and Remita, the company is leveraging strong institutional relationships and digital infrastructure to offer reliable financial services.
He said, “At Ascensia, we are committed to the growth of our clients by delivering inclusive, customer-centric financial services that empower individuals and small businesses to thrive.
“Our suite of products is designed to address the financing needs of Nigerians — whether through accessible personal loans, business financing, or innovative investment solutions.”
He said with the company’s strong foundation, experienced leadership, and a deep understanding of the local market, Ascensia remained poised to become a key player in Nigeria’s financial services industry.
The company is driven by a team of seasoned professionals with extensive experience in Nigeria’s resilient financial services sector.
Anchored on the core values of Trust, Resilience, Integrity, Creativity, and Empathy (TRICE), the company introduced a suite of innovative financial products.
These include personal loans of up to N5 million for self-employed professionals, with a repayment tenor of up to 12 months.
The company also provides SME loans of up to N10 million, specifically designed to support shop owners and small business operators engaged in trade of fast-moving consumer goods, with financing available for inventory and working capital needs.
The Ascensia PayEasy, a “Buy Now, Pay Later” solution, enables individuals and companies to acquire consumer goods or assets with a minimum 30 per cent deposit, and repay the balance over a six-month period.
For salaried employees in both the public and private sectors, the company offers PayDay Loans of up to ₦5 million, repayable over 12 months.
Through its Contract Finance offering, Ascensia supports vendors, suppliers, and contractors working with credible companies, NGOs, and public-sector agencies.
The product facilitates timely order fulfilment and improves liquidity by providing early access to funds through invoice discounting on confirmed invoices from approved counterparties.
The company also offers group loans for traders, artisans, farmers, and producers of fast-moving goods.
These loans are structured around group-based cross-guarantees, making financing accessible to individuals with strong cash flows but limited collateral. Eligible borrowers can access up to N3 million, repayable within 180 days.
E-Financial
CBN Sets Record Straight on Diaspora BVN Fee, Confirms No Hidden Charges

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has addressed growing concerns surrounding the newly introduced Non-Resident Bank Verification Number (NRBVN) platform, firmly stating that there are no hidden charges and that BVN enrolment for Nigerians residing within the country remains entirely free.
Speaking in Abuja, the bank’s acting director of corporate communications, Mrs. Hakama Sidi Ali, explained that the fee recently reported in the media applies solely to Nigerians living abroad who choose to enrol through the NRBVN platform.
She clarified that the approximately $50 charge is not a fee for obtaining a BVN, but a recoverable processing cost tied to remote biometric and due diligence verification.
Mrs. Sidi Ali highlighted that the charge supports secure identity authentication, data management, and the technological infrastructure needed to facilitate the overseas enrolment process.
She noted that Nigerians in the diaspora previously paid up to $200 for the same service, and the current fee reflects a reduction designed to enhance accessibility.
“The associated fee of $50 is strictly a processing charge for remote verification and not a payment for the BVN itself,” she stated. “The NRBVN system is a voluntary, secure, and convenient solution for Nigerians in the diaspora.”
She dismissed reports circulating on social media as misleading and inaccurate, advising the public to disregard claims that suggest the imposition of new or excessive charges on Nigerians. The NRBVN platform, she stressed, is a critical part of the CBN’s digital transformation strategy aimed at extending financial services to Nigerians globally.
Developed in collaboration with the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), the NRBVN platform enables Nigerians overseas to obtain a BVN without physically visiting a bank branch in Nigeria. The remote system facilitates access to banking services, reduces travel costs, and supports secure transactions in line with international standards of digital identity management.
Mrs. Sidi Ali encouraged the public to seek information about the NRBVN initiative only through official channels of the CBN and NIBSS.
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