Visa, the global payments Technology Company and PalmPay, a new player in Africa’s Fintech industry, has announced a partnership to advance financial inclusion across Africa through access to digital payment services.
As part of the partnership, PalmPay will launch an app with a mobile wallet in Nigeria, Ghana and Tanzania. The mobile wallet will offer customers a platform to top up funds electronically or via offline access points, with the ability to make and accept individual and merchant payments.
Visa cardholders will be able to initiate payments within the app and make online and mobile payments by attaching their card details to their PalmPay profile. Non-card carriers can generate a virtual Visa card upon registration.
Additionally, the PalmPay app will provide access to a variety of financial products offered by third parties. PalmPay is also introducing a loyalty points programme to incentivize the growth of the service.
Otto Williams, Vice President Strategic Partnerships, Fintech and Ventures at Visa, said; “Advancing financial inclusion remains a priority for us at Visa and this collaboration with PalmPaywill help us reach consumers and merchants not previously addressed by traditional financial services, across Africa.
“Around the world, there is a growing recognition that cash is a major impediment to advancing financial inclusion and Africa remains a cash-centric region”, he added.
Speaking on the partnership, CEO of PalmPay, Greg Reeve said; “We are building a digital financial ecosystem that brings together the best services and offers from across each market, which will be made available to anyone with a smartphone, including the unbanked.”
He added that: “Most existing apps are built to only carter for people who already have formal financial accounts – that is you can only send money, request for loans once you have an account to deposit or receive such loans.”