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From Struggle to Stability: How FinTech is Helping Nigerian SMEs Overcome Cash Flow Challenges
When Mrs. Agbaje started her school in Ibadan twelve years ago, she didn’t envision a tech-enabled future. Her dream was simple—provide affordable, quality education to children in her community. For the most part, she made it work. But as the school grew, a new challenge took root. It wasn’t infrastructure. It wasn’t teacher retention. It was something far more basic: getting paid.
Each new term brings the same pattern. Parents promise to pay fees “by next week.” Some follow through. Many don’t. As the term wears on, Mrs. Agbaje finds herself juggling spreadsheets, reminder texts, and awkward conversations in car parks or at school gates. Meanwhile, salaries must be paid, books restocked, diesel bought. More often than not, she dips into personal savings to keep things running.
Her story is common across Nigeria. Small businesses—whether they’re schools, salons, logistics firms, or cooperative groups—are constantly navigating the emotional and financial toll of delayed payments. And it’s not just a matter of inconvenience. A recent study by MacTay Consulting found that Nigerian SMEs wait between 60 to 120 days on average to receive payment for services or products already delivered. That kind of delay is more than a hiccup. It threatens livelihoods. It blocks growth. It’s a silent killer.
For Chuks, who runs a car hire service in Enugu, the issue is tied to his bigger corporate clients. They insist on “net 30” or “net 60” terms—industry-speak for “we’ll pay you in a month or two.” That might be manageable for a large fleet with strong cash reserves, but for someone like Chuks, every week matters. With fuel prices rising and maintenance bills stacking up, he’s often forced to park cars because he doesn’t have the cash to fix them—even when work is lined up.
What links these stories is the reality that small businesses operate in a system where money is constantly in motion but rarely on time. Customers often mean well, but their own financial instability creates a domino effect. And the existing tools to manage payments—handwritten ledgers, POS machines, WhatsApp reminders—were never designed for structure. They’re patched solutions to a systemic problem.
Even digital banking, for all its advancement in Nigeria, hasn’t solved this issue. Many SMEs still operate informally, managing finances through personal bank accounts or apps not tailored to business needs. The result is a messy web of follow-ups, reconciliations, and emotional strain. Business owners become debt collectors, chasing down what they’ve already earned, time and time again.
What’s often missed in conversations about entrepreneurship is just how deeply this problem cuts. Payment delays mean rent can’t be paid on time. It means holding off on hiring a new staff member, or letting go of a part-time assistant. It means saying no to growth opportunities, not because they’re not viable, but because the cash flow isn’t predictable enough to take the risk.
And when you zoom out, the implications are national. Small businesses make up over 90% of enterprises in Nigeria. They contribute nearly half of the country’s GDP and employ a significant portion of the workforce. Yet, their greatest enemy isn’t market competition—it’s irregular income. This is a structural inefficiency that deserves far more attention than it gets.
Slowly, however, change is beginning to show. A quiet revolution is underway—one where technology is stepping in not as a trend, but as a tool for financial stability. More SMEs are beginning to explore digital solutions that streamline payments and reduce friction between businesses and customers.
Among these solutions is PaywithAccount, a new tool launched by Nigerian fintech company OnePipe. Designed specifically for businesses with recurring payments—schools, cooperatives, service providers—it allows them to automate collections directly from customers’ bank accounts. With full consent and transparency, payments can be scheduled, reducing the need for repeated follow-ups or awkward reminders.
For Mrs. Agbaje, this has made a significant difference. Parents receive structured payment plans, reminders go out automatically, and debits happen based on prior agreement. She now spends less time tracking who has paid and more time planning curriculum upgrades and engaging with teachers.
The benefit isn’t just financial—it’s emotional. When business owners don’t have to chase payments, they gain time, clarity, and confidence. They can plan ahead, restock inventory, or finally invest in that expansion they’ve put off for years. And for customers, the experience feels more professional, more trustworthy. Everyone wins.
Technology won’t solve every problem for Nigerian SMEs. But smart, well-designed financial tools are starting to remove some of the biggest roadblocks—quietly and effectively. And that’s the point. The best systems aren’t flashy. They work in the background, reducing stress, restoring dignity, and enabling business owners to focus on what truly matters.
For Ope Adeoye, founder of OnePipe, the issue is personal. “Every Nigerian knows someone who runs a business—a cousin, a friend, a neighbour. When they suffer from late payments, it affects whole families and communities. Fixing this isn’t just a business goal—it’s a social one.”
In a country as dynamic and entrepreneurial as Nigeria, the challenge is rarely about lack of ideas. It’s about systems that help those ideas survive. And one of the most overlooked systems is the way money flows—or fails to.
As more SMEs embrace tools that put payment on autopilot, a future of stability—rather than constant survival—starts to feel possible. And in a nation powered by small businesses, that kind of shift could move mountains.
National Communications Authority (NCA) has announced that Multichoice Ghana has agreed with the directive from the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations for the establishment of a stakeholder committee to evaluate DSTV pricing in Ghana.
In a statement issued on Sunday, September 7, 2025 NCA said Multichoice Ghana has also expressed its intention to fully participate in the engagement by the Committee.
NCA noted in its statement that Multichoice Ghana’s agreement comes after further engagements with the company regarding its public statement dated September 5, 2025 in which Multichoice Ghana claimed that it has not agreed to a price reduction in DStv subscription.
NCA said the outcome of the stakeholder committee would be determined at the end of its work.
The first meeting of the Stakeholder Committee will take place on Monday, September 8, 2025.
According to the statement, MultiChoice has “confirmed that it will respect due process and the laws of Ghana and its people.”
It can be recalled that the NCA officially wrote to Multichoice Ghana for a response on the directive by the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations for a suspension of its authorisation and requested DStv to submit its pricing model.
NCA said it has received response from Multichoice Ghana to the notice of intention to suspend their authorisation and request for their pricing model.
The Authority noted that it will provide further updates on the matter in due course.
Sam Goegre held a press conference in Accra on Friday, September 5, where he said the company has written to the Ministry for further discussions on the reduction plan.
“Multichoice has finally agreed to reduce their prices; now they want us to discuss the level of reduction,” the Minister said.
“They realised that Ghanaians fully backed the ministry, the NPP has endorsed it, the NDC has endorsed, Ghanaians are simply saying we won’t pay these exorbitant fees again,” he said when asked a question about the timing of MultiChoice’s decision to reduce the prices which comes just 48 hours to the deadline the government gave to them to comply with the order to reduce the prices.
But reacting to Sam George’s statement, Multichoice Ghana said in a statement that “We have noted the statement made by the Minister for Communications Technology and Innovation, Hon. Samuel Nartey George.
“We continue to engage with the Minister in a bid to find an amicable solution that is beneficial for all parties involved, but does not jeopardise the viability of the DStv service.
We will fully participate in the established Working Committee. However, we wish to clarify that MultiChoice Group has not agreed to a price reduction,” a statement they issued said.
This necessitated a further engagement by NCA with the company after which Multichoice Ghana has accepted to take part in the stakeholder committee to evaluate DStv pricing and respect the laws of the country.
Prior to the press conference, Sam George had issued a September 6 deadline to suspend the license of MultiChoice Ghana should they fail to reduce subscription prices.
The Ghanaian government has issued MultiChoice Ghana an ultimatum to reduce subscription prices by September 6 or face licence revocation and operational shutdown, escalating a months-long pricing dispute.
Samuel George, communications minister, delivered the stark warning during the Digital Africa Summit in Accra, declaring that the DStv operator must comply with government demands for fairer pricing that reflects Ghana’s improving economic conditions.
“They have up to the 6th of September. If by that time there is no resolution, we will shut down the operations of MultiChoice,” George stated.
“No corporate entity is above the collective interest of the Ghanaian people.”
The confrontation stems from the government’s request two months ago for a 30% reduction in subscription fees, citing reduced inflation and stabilizing economic conditions.
MultiChoice Ghana has reportedly resisted the directive, prompting increasingly aggressive regulatory action.
The National Communications Authority (NCA) has already imposed fines between GH¢150,000 and GH¢170,000 on MultiChoice for failing to submit mandatory pricing data required under the Electronic Communications Act. The minister confirmed that authorities are prepared to collect these outstanding penalties.
George announced that officials will conduct a final meeting with MultiChoice representatives Thursday, after which the government plans to take decisive action if no agreement is reached.
The minister framed the dispute as a matter of consumer protection and economic fairness.
“This is about fairness and accountability. Ghanaians deserve to benefit from the improving economy through affordable digital services,” he emphasized.
Ghana’s inflation rate has declined significantly from 23.8% in December 2024 to 11.5% in August 2025, while the cedi has shown increased stability. Government officials argue that these improved economic conditions should translate into lower subscription costs for consumers.
The standoff represents one of the most serious regulatory challenges facing MultiChoice’s West African operations, with potential implications for the company’s broader regional strategy.
A shutdown would affect thousands of subscribers across Ghana who rely on DStv for entertainment and news content.
MultiChoice operates as a dominant pay-television provider in Ghana’s market, making any potential service disruption particularly significant for consumers who have limited alternative options for premium television content.
The dispute highlights broader tensions between multinational corporations and African governments over pricing strategies and consumer protection policies in improving economic environments.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the reinstatement of Mr Salihu Abdullahi Dembos as director-general, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
The directive was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
Onanuga explained that Dembos, who briefly vacated the position following management changes at the agency, was appointed by President Tinubu in October 2023 and will now return to complete his three-year tenure.
Also recalled is Mr Ayo Adewuyi, executive director of News, who was appointed in 2024. He is to serve out his tenure, which runs until 2027.
According to Onanuga, the directive nullifies the earlier appointments of a new director-general, executive director of news, executive director of marketing, and managing director of NTA Enterprises.
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