Nigeria’s e-Payment Body Changes Name to E-PPAN

The Stakeholders Association for E-Payment and Self Service (SAFE-PASS), the association responsible for catering for the stakeholders in the e-payment business in Nigeria has changed its name. It is now known as E-Payment Providers Association of Nigeria (E-PPAN). This name change has become necessary as the association takes steps to formalize and institutionalize the body.
In the past few years, e-payment has experienced phenomenal growth in Nigeria, with increasing use of payment technologies and the expansion of ecommerce across sectors. In terms of volume and value, e-payment transactions in 2008 increased by 306.8 and 65.5 percent to 21,860,193 and N365.9 billion, respectively, over the figures in the corresponding period of 2007.
The industry is fragmented howbeit with a few dominant players, largely unstructured, and characterized by a high degree of fraud. It, however, remains attractive to new entrants offering both niche and broad based solutions, considering the size and potentials of the Nigerian economy.
Hence the need for a collaborative forum to establish a modus operandi for players in the industry in alignment with global best practices, promote the interest of all stakeholders, drive the growth of the industry and its contribution to the nation’s economic growth and development.
Currently the association operates from its secretariat at 33A, Bishop Abayode Cole Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. Its mission is to ensure a growth in the e-payment industry and act as one stop shop for all stakeholders in the industry.
Membership is opened to stakeholders including, PoS/ATM deployers, processors, card manufacturers, personalization companies, switching companies, financial institutions (including microfinance institutions), and providers of related services, government, e-payment consultants and regulatory authorities.
The association offers a lot of services to the e-payment industry. Some of its services include breakfast sessions, high powered meetings, interactive sessions, expert analysis sessions, conferences, sponsored or co-sponsored conferences, symposia, and workshops and unprecedented levels of opportunities to network with colleagues.
Members are also entitled to enjoy the customized services such as user-group meetings, training courses, strategy review service, business matching services, discounts to third party conferences, E-PPAN email newsletter, business intelligence mails, papers, reports, journals and presentation materials.