E-Financial
Three Ways Embedded Finance can Drive a Cashless Economy
By Victor Irechukwu, Head of Engineering, OnePipe.
In recent years, non-bank providers have been integrating financial services into various products and services. This enables merchants that have these embedded financial services to interact with their customers in new ways.
Victor Irechukwu, Head of Engineering, OnePipe
Recall Nigeria’s recent cashless experiment? The main problem was not because the country wanted to go cashless, rather, people were unable to pay for goods and services. Yet, embedded finance could have solved this.
There were stories for instance in the poultry industry where thousands of farmers were said to have disposed of their eggs simply because they were dependent on cash. Maybe not individually but the value chain in which they operated was cash dependent. But what if one of the many big players had introduced embedded finance in that value chain?
The European Merchant Bank notes that embedded finance has the opportunity to truly change the financial sector forever, reaching a $138 billion value by 2026. Other estimates value this market in the trillions of dollars over the next decade, and Nigeria can also tap into these potentials in driving a cashless economy.
Here are three possibilities:
Embedded payments
Embedded payments refers to the integration of payments capabilities within an app or a platform that was not primarily designed to offer financial service. What it does is that when users need to make payments within that ecosystem, they need not go outside of it before money can be exchanged.
So, imagine in the midst of all the commotion from Nigeria’s cashless experience, if more organisations providing goods or services had embedded payments, there would have been less worry for Nigerians desperate to find cash. From such platforms, payments could have served a wide range of reasons, depending on what segment of the economy they were serving.
Examples abound in western markets from Starbucks, Uber, Amazon, Google and even WhatsApp which has a payments service.
Having some of such platforms locally, would have provided reputable intermediaries trusted by people expecting to get paid. For emphasis, while the fear of fake transfers remained an obstacle for some people, receiving payment via WhatsApp (for instance), which they already trust and use daily, would have been easier to adopt.
Embedded credit
This works both ways. On one hand, it can enable businesses to extend credit to their customers, allowing them to transact without the need for cash. On the other hand, it can be particularly useful for small businesses, which are already mostly starved of credit, to get access to lending that can keep them afloat when they do not have cash to operate.
What happens when you operate in an industry where vendors are bent on collecting cash before they supply you inputs? This happens a lot, beyond the urban, cosmopolitan areas of Nigeria, where cash still reigns.
In other instances, those coming to buy from you, after you have sourced inputs and produced a thousand eggs, usually only bring cash. However, since their retail side customers did not have access to cash during the cashless period, it means they also didn’t have money to buy from you. As simple as this may sound, it led to the collapse of many businesses.
A solution to both sides of this chaos could have been embedded credit. If enterprises had adopted one platform or the other, which allowed them to embed credit products into their business platforms, they could have been able to allow their consumers to apply for, acquire and repay loans within the platform. They could also have secured credit for their business, maybe in the form of inputs to keep their businesses afloat during the cashless period.
The best part is that they need not invest in custom made technology. These could in fact, be done at, say, cooperative or association levels, and not borne by individuals.
Embedded banking
Imagine paying your Uber driver after a trip, but doing so from your wallet in the Uber App. The driver gets this money but does not need to move it to their ‘regular bank account’. Why? Because the ride-hailing app has a feature for a savings account. This would mean whatever transactions they needed to do from a bank account could now take place from that same Uber app where they picked a customer, got paid and can in turn pay for anything they need.
The payments and credit feature earlier discussed, as well as everything else you can think of in a bank setting, can take place from this facility. This may sound foreign, but an ecosystem like this is possible in Nigeria. It in fact, depicts what could be a perfectly cashless environment. It could even go as far as issuing debit cards, which are linked to that account for them to pay for whatever they somehow can’t do from the app.
Embedded finance can deliver a win-win situation to both businesses that embrace them as well as their customers. The ease of access and low cost to entry is likely to make it viable across social demographics in a place like Nigeria.
Mr Wale Edun, minister of Finance and coordinating minister of the Economy, has inaugurated Mr Thompson Oludare Sunday, new managing director/chief executive officer of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), and Dr Kabir Sabo Katata, executive director (Operations), at the Ministry of Finance, Abuja.
Mr Wale Edun, minister of Finance and coordinating minister of the Economy, flanked by Mr Thompson Oludare Sunday, new managing director/chief executive officer of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), and Dr Kabir Sabo Katata, executive director (Operations),
In his speech during the occasion, the Minister submitted that the NDIC, as a component of the financial safety-net has a crucial role to play in the nation’s march to economic stability and prosperity.
He therefore charged the Management team to bring their diverse wealth of experience to bear on their new assignment while assuring them of the ministry’s full support in the task ahead.
Responding, Mr Sunday who spoke on behalf of the Management team, expressed appreciation to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for their appointment.
He assured the Hon Minister of the readiness of the Management under his leadership to live up to expectations of the President in particular and the nation in general in the discharge of their duties.
The Management later received by the Corporation’s Head Office with a warm welcome by the workforce.
A statement signed by Hawwau Gambo, head, Communication & Public Affairs Department, revealed that Addressing the workers on behalf the Management team, Mr. Sunday promised to work in harmony with the staff to move the Corporation to its next level performance.
He stressed that the Management’s focus would be based on the public policy objectives, functions and mandate devolved on the Corporation by the enabling law that established it.
Thompson Oludare Sunday is a seasoned financial expert with over 30 years of regulatory and supervisory experience.
Having cut his teeth with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in 1989, he went ahead to acquire high-end knowledge in Central Banking, spending 24 unbroken years in banking supervision.
While his vast experience is in the regulation and supervision of licensed institutions, his deep expertise span corporate governance, risk management and compliance as veritable tool for ensuring the safety and soundness of institutions.
He is a highly analytical and cross functional team worker with strong interest in building individual and institutional capacity for transformation and excellence.
Thompson’s skills and experience were horned by several key responsibilities and special assignments he handled for the apex Bank before his retirement as a Director 2021.
Kabir Sabo Katata, ED (Operations), is a quantitative energy strategist and computational finance expert with strong power trading and risk management experience.
He has over twenty-eight years’ experience in the design and management of technically innovative systems in multiple industries including telecommunications, IT, energy (petroleum & power), finance and government.
He is a specialist in sophisticated financial optimization, the application of modern statistical techniques and mathematics to energy, deposit insurance and banking sectors.
Dr. Katata joined the service of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation in 2012 as an Assistant Director in the Research, Policy and International Relations Department and rose to the pinnacle of his career as Director in January 2022, before his new appointment as Executive Director (Operations).
E-Financial
Union Bank Rewards Customers with ₦5 Million Each in Save and Win Palli Promo Season 4 Grand Finale
Union Bank of Nigeria has proudly concluded the fourth edition of its acclaimed Save and Win Palli Promo, awarding three fortunate customers a life-changing ₦5 million each at the grand finale. Since its inception, this transformative campaign has disbursed over ₦330 million in cash and gift prizes, touching the lives of more than 5,000 customers nationwide and elevating their financial prospects.
The grand prize winners, representing diverse regions across the country, emerged through transparent electronic draws supervised by regulatory authorities. The celebrated recipients, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Isah (Zaria Branch, North), Atilabor Seikemefa Friday (Sapele Branch, South-South), and Oluranti Ogunluyi (Ilaro Branch, South-West), received their prizes at The Stallion Plaza, Union Bank’s Head Office, Marina, Lagos, in the presence of other winners, and the Bank’s executive leadership led by Managing Director/CEO Yetunde Oni.
Vivian Imoh-Ita, Head of Retail and SME Business, reflected on the enduring impact of the campaign: “Over the past four years, the Save and Win Palli Promo has enriched the lives of thousands, providing crucial financial relief and rewarding diligent savers. We are unwavering in our commitment to empowering our customers so they may thrive and achieve their ambitions.”
Chief Brand and Marketing Officer, Olufunmilola Aluko, highlighted the Bank’s broader mission: “Union Bank is delighted by the ripple effect our targeted savings initiatives have created. We have seen a significant boost in savings culture, allowing customers to reach their financial goals, while our innovative promotions continue to cushion economic challenges and foster responsible financial habits.”
Kicking off in December 2024 and concluding in May 2025, the latest season saw over 3,000 customers rewarded with gifts and cash, including motorcycles, tricycles, fuel vouchers, and substantial cash prizes, with total giveaways exceeding ₦131 million.
To qualify, customers maintained a minimum balance of ₦10,000 and completed at least five transactions monthly. Monthly draw winners received ₦100,000, while quarterly draws featured exciting prizes such as motorcycles and tricycles.
As Season 4 draws to a close, Union Bank reaffirms its dedication to nurturing customer growth and extending robust financial support nationwide. Through continued innovation, the Bank remains steadfast in its mission to empower Nigerians and foster sustainable wealth for all.
Banks in Nigeria closed 29.4 million accounts as of March 2025, according to the latest report by the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS).
The figure represents a sharp year-on-year increase of 30.43 per cent from the 22.54 million closed accounts recorded in March 2024.
It also reflects a steady rise in account closures over recent months, with 33.29 million closed accounts reported in February 2025 and 29.43 million in January.
The report also revealed a significant increase in dormant accounts, which surged to 33.39 million in March 2025, up from 19.79 million in the same period in 2024, a 71.3 per cent rise in inactive accounts over the past year.
Despite the spike in closures and dormant accounts, the number of active bank accounts rose from 219.64 million in March 2024 to 320.05 million in March 2025, representing an increase of over 100 million, or 45.7 per cent.
NIBSS defines a dormant account as one that has seen no deposit, withdrawal, transfer, or point-of-sale transaction for a period of six months.
The surge in account closures and dormancy follows the Central Bank of Nigeria’s directive issued in December 2023, mandating commercial banks to restrict Tier-1 accounts not linked to a Bank Verification Number (BVN) and National Identification Number (NIN) by March 1, 2024.
In response to the directive, BVN enrolment increased from 61.6 million in April 2024 to 66.23 million by July 2025, as more Nigerians rushed to meet the CBN’s compliance deadline.
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