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Four Technologies that can Drive Nigeria’s Cashless Economy
By Victor Irechukwu, Head of Engineering, OnePipe
Waving your hand to pay after shopping at a store, or simply placing your mobile phone on the checkout counter could seem strange – at least to a number of people in Nigeria. But it is possible and in fact, already standard practice in some countries.
Victor Irechukwu,
This, and other cashless methods can also be possible in Nigeria if the right technologies are adopted. After all, some people already use tollgates where courtesy of something called e-tag, they are let through without waiting to pay every time. It is a form of cashless technology too.
Global cashless payment volumes are set to increase by more than 80% from 2020 to 2025, from about 1tn transactions to almost 1.9tn, and to almost triple by 2030, according to analysis by PwC. Asia-Pacific will grow fastest, with cashless transaction volume increasing by 109% from 2020 to 2025 and then by 76% from 2025 to 2030, followed by Africa (78%, 64%) and Europe (64%, 39%). Latin America comes next (52%, 48%), and the US and Canada will have the least rapid growth (43%, 35%).
Here are some technologies Nigeria should be looking into so as to strengthen the move towards being cashless.
QR code
Have you ever come across a sign that says ‘scan to pay’ (with a pattern of black squares) after shopping at a store? Any business or individual that receives payment can provide this option, which is derived from Quick Response codes, which are machine-readable barcodes that store information.
In 2020, Ghana became the first African country to introduce a universal QR code. In South Africa, the Payments Association of South Africa (PASA) has identified a need to streamline the experience of both payer and payee and is in the process of standardising QR codes across the sector.
In 2021, the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS) launched the New Quick Response (NQR) payment solution code, which it describes as “an innovative payment platform implemented on behalf of all financial service providers.” The New Quick Response code solution offers a robust platform that delivers instant value for P2B and P2P transactions by simply scanning to pay.
Generally, making QR codes more widely used will create another easier way for people to transact without cash, and cheaper for merchants to receive their money.
Mobile money
Nigeria still hasn’t fully hacked Mobile Money, despite the successes recorded in other countries across Africa. In 2021, CBN data shows Nigeria recorded 1.2 billion mobile money transactions with a value of N15 trillion (about $34 billion using official rates).
However, in Ghana, with a fraction of Nigeria’s population, the volume of transactions was 4.25 billion in 2021, with a value of GH¢ 978.32 billion (about $75 billion).
Let’s not even compare with Kenya or other African countries blazing the trail in mobile money. It is clear that this technology remains largely underexplored in Nigeria. With the country’s large rural population and low internet penetration, mobile money offers those who would otherwise be disadvantaged a way to send and receive money electronically and with less sophistication required.
Digital wallets
iPhone users should be familiar with Apple Pay and their android contemporaries, Google Pay. But, whenever you are sceptical of inputting your card details on a website, has it occurred to you to use that Apple or Google pay function (which you already trust) on your device?
There are other options which PwC described in a report as ‘super-apps’ such as WeChat Pay and Alipay in China, and in different countries, local options abound with different names. While many people already use these platforms it is still not a widespread means of payment in Nigeria.
These digital wallets allow consumers to load and store payment methods and access funding sources, such as cards or accounts, on their mobile devices. The use of digital wallet–based transactions grew globally by 7% in 2020, according to a report by FIS, a financial services technology group, which predicts that digital wallets will account for more than half of all e-commerce payments worldwide by 2024, as consumers shift from card-based to account- and QR code–based transactions.
Nothing stops the growing fintech industry in Nigeria from introducing similar platforms to take advantage of the immense opportunities.
Contactless payments
This has been referenced a few times earlier and it is one innovative way to not only get more people to go cashless, but also in a way that would excite them.
Imagine that you have finished shopping at a supermarket and the cashier tells you to simply hold your phone near theirs and with the tap of a button, payment is done.
This movement of money from you as a customer to the merchant happens through near-field communication (NFC) technology, a function you may have seen on your phone, never utilised and probably been curious as to what it does.
A Tappit article further explains that instead of swiping or inserting your bank card into a reader and typing a PIN, you simply ‘tap-and-go’ or ‘wave and pay’. To make a payment, you place your bank card or contactless-enabled mobile phone near the reader.
These technologies, in addition to other existing cashless payment methods like the regular bank transfers, card payments, can help drive Nigeria’s cashless economy further.
MTN Foundation has been spotlighted as a model for private sector-driven healthcare development in Nigeria, following commendations at the 6th Arthur Mbanefo Lecture held at the University of Lagos, Akoka.
Themed “A Healthy Nation is a Wealthy Nation: The Role of Impact Investments and Sustainable Financing in Nigeria,” the lecture featured Dr. Tolulope Adewole, Managing Director of NSIA Advanced Medical Services Limited (MedServe), as keynote speaker.
Dr. Adewole praised the Foundation’s strategic investments, noting that MTN commits 1% of its profit after tax annually to development sectors. “They’ve invested ₦31.75 billion, reaching over 32 million Nigerians. Though only 25% went to health, it accounted for 51% of all lives impacted. That’s catalytic,” he said.
He cited MTN’s dialysis centre programme as a transformative intervention for patients with kidney disease, and highlighted community-focused initiatives like the Y’ello Doctor mobile scheme and ‘What Can We Do Together’ (WCWDT) programme, which revitalised 164 Primary Healthcare Centres, including 44 in 2024 alone.
Executive Director of MTN Foundation, Odunayo Sanya, reflected on the COVID-19 pandemic’s exposure of systemic health vulnerabilities. “When COVID hit, we realised a health emergency is also an economic and social emergency,” she said.
Sanya revealed that of the 52 PHCs remodeled in 2024, only one had clean water. “I’m not a doctor, but I know you can’t live a good life without clean water,” she added, reaffirming the Foundation’s commitment to bridging healthcare gaps in underserved communities.
Hundreds of university students across Africa are set to benefit from a new gamified learning experience on digital rights and inclusion launched by the leading pan-African non-profit organisation, Paradigm Initiative (PIN).
The Digital Rights and Inclusion Board Learning Experience (DRIBLE) is a game developed by Paradigm Initiative with support from the Open Society Foundations (OSF). The custom-designed board game provides young individuals with a fun and engaging entry point into digital rights and inclusion conversations, training sessions and storytelling tools.
The board game aims to build digital literacy, deepen understanding of online safety, and introduce young individuals to the organisation’s tools of impact. Currently being piloted in three universities: University of Lagos, Nigeria, the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) in Nairobi, Kenya and the Dakar American University of Science and Technology (DAUST) in Dakar, Senegal, it will enhance interactions and create a holistic experience.
Speaking at the event launch at the University of Lagos, Nigeria, ‘Gbenga Sesan, Paradigm Initiative’s Executive Director, said: “PIN’s vision is to reach 20 million people through our Digital Inclusion and Digital Rights interventions. From Lagos, to Dakar, to Nairobi.. we will use the vehicle of our new Digital Rights and Inclusion Board Learning Experience (DRIBLE) which entails using gamification, training, multimedia materials, tools and other interventions to connect African youth with digital opportunities and protect their digital rights.”
‘Gbenga gave the keynote address on “Digital inclusion at PIN, our Past, Present and Future” and Nnenna Paul-Ugochukwu, the organisation’s Chief Operating Officer, said the goal of the learning experience would be instrumental in raising awareness of digital rights among the youth, building their capacity to address digital rights and inclusion issues in their communities. Prof. Olunifesi Adekunle Suraj shared a goodwill message with the students and other stakeholders.
Paradigm Initiative, which has been operational since 2007, started in a tiny cybercafe in Ajegunle, Lagos, Nigeria. Today, the organisation has expanded its wings to cover six African countries; Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Zambia and Zimbabwe, impacting the livelihoods of over 150,000 young Africans.
The launch of DRIBLE builds on the progress the organisation has made over the years in tackling the challenge of digital exclusion across Africa.
Paradigm Initiative’s tools of impact include Ripoti, a platform that enables individuals to report digital rights violations, Ayeta, a platform that provides digital security resources for stakeholders, more so human rights activists, defenders, journalists and other vulnerable groups, and the organisation’s latest short film, Whispers in the Wires.
Targeted at students, PIN rolled out a Campus Tour in the three universities on the continent starting July 15th, 2025.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has intensified its crackdown on fake accounts and spam, announcing it removed over 10 million fake profiles and roughly 500,000 spam accounts in the first half of 2025.
The sweeping purge is part of Meta’s broader effort to combat impersonation, fake engagement, and content duplication, aiming to elevate authentic creators and improve the quality of content across its platforms.
In a blog post, Meta said: “We’re making progress. In the first half of 2025, we took action on around 500,000 accounts engaged in spammy behaviour or fake engagement. We also removed about 10 million profiles impersonating large content producers.”
Meta stressed that accounts which primarily repost or recycle content without meaningful edits will face penalties such as reduced reach and the loss of monetisation tools.
The company also warned that repeatedly sharing unoriginal content — whether videos, photos, or text — undermines the platform’s integrity by crowding out genuine voices and making it harder for new creators to grow.
To support authentic creators, Meta is rolling out new tools that automatically trace reposted content back to its original source. The company says this will help ensure rightful credit and give higher visibility to original posts.
“Pages and profiles that post mostly original content tend to enjoy wider distribution across Facebook. Simply stitching clips together or adding a watermark will no longer count as meaningful editing. Content that provides real value and tells an authentic story is likely to perform better,” Meta explained.
Creators are also being cautioned against uploading content that includes watermarks from other platforms. Such posts could see their reach restricted or lose monetisation privileges altogether.
As part of its latest update, Meta introduced post-level insights on the Professional Dashboard, allowing creators to monitor how individual posts perform. They can also check their Support Home screen to see if their content or earnings are facing restrictions.
In a parallel development, Google’s YouTube updated its monetisation guidelines, stating that content deemed mass-produced or excessively repetitive will no longer qualify for ad revenue. The announcement initially sparked concern among creators, who feared it was a blanket ban on AI-generated content. YouTube later clarified:
“We welcome creators using AI tools to enhance their storytelling, and channels that use AI in their content remain eligible to monetise.”
Both tech giants say these new policies are aimed at raising content standards and safeguarding genuine creators in a crowded and rapidly evolving digital landscape.
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