MasterCard Takes Cashless, E-Payment Messages to “Restaurant Week”

MasterCard, a multinational financial services corporation, said it is delighted with the efforts of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the financial institutions in ensuring a topnotch e-payment system in Nigeria.

Speaking to Nigeria CommunicationsWeek on the commencement of first MasterCard Restaurant Week presented by Lost in Lagos, Omokehinde  Ojomuyide, vice president and Area Business Head, MasterCard West Africa, said that the Company’s participation was born out of desire to give its card holders and food-lovers, a priceless treat and promote cashless policy.

Ojomuyide told Nigeria CommunicationsWeek that “Restaurant Week is a new thing in Nigeria, but not in other parts of the world. Lost in Lagos said, the State is now filled with new business activities and focused feeding us; fine dining, cool environment and good service, so we need to showcase those restaurants.

“They are partnering with 28 out of the many restaurants in Lagos to say over a 21-day period, please give people the best offer you have. So, they came to us and shared the idea and we thought it wise to do something that impact on the people positively.

“We are happy that the number of people using MasterCard in Nigeria is impressive. The growth we have heard in the past three years is a welcome development. We are seeing the transition from cash to card payments”.

Satisfied with the pace of e-payment and card system adoption she said, “I do not think MasterCard will ever be satisfied until all transactions are electronic. So, it is a journey. In fact, every country that has embraced card system of payment must have passed through this phase. Even the US and UK have been doing this for over 50 years and they still have cash in circulation. So, you will never be satisfied, because our role is to move from cash to electronic payment. It just means we are going to be in the business for a long time.

“Having said we will never be satisfied until there is no cash, I would say that the growth Nigeria has made in the past three years, considering the unique challenges you have in Nigeria, it is good. You cannot take Nigeria in isolation. You cannot expect the cashless to be 100% successful without looking at the fact that having electricity always is a basic requirement for the terminals to be operational, communication has to be topnotch. There are challenges are easing away, which is good news for the industry and the country at large. The CBN and the banks are working round the clock to ensure the cashless and card payment systems are successful”.

According to the organizers, from 1 November – 21 November 2014, MasterCard cardholders will be able to enjoy the best dining experiences that Lagos has to offer at exceptional prices.

Famous the world over, Restaurant Week is a culinary event that celebrates all the qualities that define a great restaurant:  high standards in food and presentation, ambiance and service.

Held in several cities including Amsterdam, New York, Singapore, Beijing and now Lagos, Restaurant Week gives food-lovers the opportunity to dine at top restaurants at discounted set-menu prices. 

MasterCard Restaurant Week will include special menus from 28 of the city’s top restaurants including Spice Route, Fusion, Bistro 7, Oje, Viceroy and Bar Campione as well as a handful of exclusive, fine dining, establishments like Izanagi, Rooftop and Medici Restaurant among others.

“MasterCard Restaurant Week will change the way people look at dining out in Lagos as it will give food-lovers the opportunity to experience new restaurants that they may have been unable  to try before,” said Tannaz Bahnam, founder of Lost in Lagos. “Each of the participating restaurants is known for their excellent cuisine and service, ensuring that restaurant-goers will enjoy an unforgettable dining experience,” she says.

Over the three-week promotional period, all participating restaurants will offer a three-course set menu including a choice of appetizers, main dishes and desserts.

Diners can select from an exclusive MasterCard Restaurant Week menu at a set price starting from N4,000 for lunch, N6,000 for dinner and N10,000 for fine dining.

To redeem these offers, MasterCard cardholders need to register on MasterCard’s Priceless Africa (www.pricelessafrica.com) platform.

“Consumers in Nigeria have a strong affinity for dining out, and through MasterCard Restaurant Week, we can  reward our valued cardholders by offering an unrivalled experience that not only helps them to pursue their passion for great food, but encourages a continual shift from cash to electronic payments,” explained Ojomuyide.

MasterCard launched the Priceless Africa consumer loyalty platform in Nigeria in 2013.

Dedicated to bringing consumers closer to their passions while celebrating the spirit of Africa, the popular campaign offers a collection of special discounts and rare experiences, curated just for MasterCard cardholders.

MasterCard operates the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories.