Telecom
9PSB, Seerbit Partner to Provide Seamless Customer Experience
Nigeria’s pioneer and foremost Payment Service Bank, 9Payment Service Bank (9PSB) and SeerBit, a pan-African enterprise payment platform, have entered into a strategic partnership that will facilitate seamless access to financial services for individuals and businesses in Nigeria.
L-R: Omoniyi Kolade, Chief Executive Officer, SeerBit; Branka Mracajac, Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director, 9 Payment Service Bank at the recent MoU Signing Ceremony for their partnership to build and deploy solutions for enhancing financial inclusiveness in Nigeria.
9PSB and SeerBit will co-create a seamless payment and omnichannel banking ecosystem that aggregates and simplifies transactions for banking agents, merchants, end consumers, and businesses. This partnership creates a unique opportunity to deploy a home-grown solution that sets out a roadmap for the digitisation of payments and enables the ecosystem for closing the financial exclusion gap.
Speaking on the partnership, Branka Mracajac, CEO of 9PSB remarked that 9PSB is committed to building a strong financial ecosystem that is driven by collaboration.
She said, “The core of our business is to provide easy, convenient, and seamless financial transactions to the unbanked, under-banked, and under-served.
“To achieve this, collaboration is central to our strategy – with technology leaders and partners on this long journey with the ultimate goal to move Nigeria from a cash to cashless society. Thus, expanding on our promise to deliver relevant financial products.
“Through this partnership we will be providing our agents, partners, and customers with a single point of entry to enjoy various products and services.”
On his part, Omoniyi Kolade, Founder and CEO of SeerBit, stated that in alignment with SeerBit’s vision of providing innovative technology solutions tailored at bridging payment gaps, the collaboration with 9PSB will ensure that African businesses reap the full benefits of the digital payments boom in the region.
“The collaboration also consolidates SeerBit’s position as a frontline player in the digital payment ecosystem in Africa.
Our goal has always been to grow a new wave of prosperity in Africa by creating more avenues for businesses in Africa to accept payments and we are happy to do this in partnership with 9PSB. We will empower millions of businesses to accept digital payments, charting the course for the new direction for digitization in Africa.” he said.
This synergy aligns with efforts to ensure interconnectivity and interoperability amongst stakeholders in the financial sector, which is vital to accelerating the financial inclusion drive.
By providing secure and reliable electronic payment solutions, the partnership will contribute to the transformation of the informal sector to formal, support the drive for economic growth by empowering SMEs and deepen inclusion through innovative financial products and services for individuals, businesses and the fintech ecosystem in Nigeria.
In recent times, Africa has witnessed an exponential growth in digital financial services, driven by increasing mobile penetration. More than half of Africans remain without formal bank accounts but most own mobile phones through which they access basic financial services.
In its latest annual State of the Industry report, GSMA, reveals that the value of mobile money transactions passed the $1 trillion mark in 2021 with Africa accounting for nearly 70% of the total amount of transactions recorded.
With this partnership, both companies are set to positively contribute to this trend by expanding accessibility and last-mile delivery of digital payment solutions on the continent while further driving its impressive growth.
On a mission to Bank9ja, 9PSB is committed to product innovations that support ease of access to financial services. The digital bank has created a custom-tailored solution, Bank9ja, a bank agnostic mobile App and web platform, designed to service both the totally excluded as well as the included but underserved in society, by allowing easy access and connection by all banks and other FinTech’s willing and ready to partner with 9PSB.
As part of this Mission, 9PSB recently completed a total upgrade of its USSD channel – *990# and relaunched and rebranded its mobile App – now called Bank9ja – with the sole aim of empowering users with more options to bank with ease, quicker onboarding, low transfer charges and no extra charges on bills payment.
Technology Company, Globacom, has announced significant reductions in its International Direct Dialing (IDD) rates, making international calls more affordable for its existing and new customers across Nigeria.
Effective August 10, the new rates began applying to over 15 popular international destinations, including United States which will has moved to ₦30 per minute, down from ₦35, United Kingdom is now N350 from ₦400, while India also moved down to ₦40 from N45.
The rates for China, Saudi Arabia and Cameroon however recorded major reduction moving to N75, N300 and ₦700 respectively.
The reduction was also extended to African countries including Benin Republic which goes for ₦650 per minute, Niger Republic ₦750, Ghana ₦500, and Togo ₦650. United Arab Emirates also moved from ₦450 to ₦325, Germany to ₦550, Côte d’Ivoire ₦700, Libya ₦700, while calls to Malawi is now N1,100 from ₦1,200.
Glo aims to provide more value for its customers through these revised rates, encouraging them to make Glo their preferred network for international calls. New IDD bundles will also be introduced, offering frequent international callers even more attractive deals.
Globacom, which remained optimistic that frequent international callers will benefit immensely from the reductions in IDD bundles, enjoined customers to take advantage of the new rates to stay connected with friends and business associates across the globe.
President Bola Tinubu has appointment members into the boards of the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Universal Service Provision Fund, both under the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.
According to the statement, Idris Olorunnimbe was named Chairman of the NCC board, while Dr Aminu Wada will continue as Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, a position he was appointed to in October 2023 and confirmed by the Senate the following month.
Onanuga said Olorunnimbe previously served on the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund Board, where he chaired the Stakeholder and Governance Committee.
Other NCC board members are Abraham Oshidami (Executive Commissioner, Technical Services), Rimini Makama (Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management), Hajia Maryam Bayi, Col Abdulwahab Lawal (retd.), Senator Lekan Mustafa, Chris Okorie, Princess Oforitsenere Emiko, and the board secretary.
The President also approved the board of the USPF, chaired by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, with Olorunnimbe as Vice Chairman.
Other members are Oshidami, Makama, Aliyu Edogi Aliyu (representative of FMCIDE), Joseph B. Faluyi (representative of the Federal Ministry of Finance), Auwal Mohammed (representative of FMBNP), Uzoma Dozie, Peter Bankole, Abayomi Anthony Okanlawon, Gafar Oluwasegun Quadri, and the USPF secretary.
See the statement below:
PRESIDENT TINUBU APPOINTS BOARD MEMBERS FOR NCC AND USPF
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has constituted the boards of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), both agencies under the supervision of the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy.
Idris Olorunnimbe was appointed Chairman of NCC, while Dr Aminu Waida remains its Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer.
President Tinubu appointed Wada to the position in October 2023, and the Senate confirmed the appointment in November 2023.
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Mr. Olorunnimbe previously served on the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) Board, where he chaired the Stakeholder and Governance Committee and drove impactful youth employment and entrepreneurship programmes.
Other members of the board are:
1. Abraham Oshidami – Executive Commissioner, Technical Services
2. Rimini Makama – Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management
3. Hajia Maryam Bayi- Former Director, Human Capital & Administration
4. Col Abdulwahab Lawal (Rtd)
5. Senator Lekan Mustafa
6. Chris Okorie
7. Princess Oforitsenere Emiko
8. Secretary of the Board.
The President also approved the Board of the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), with Dr Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, as Chairman.
Other members are :
1. Idris Olorunimbe – Vice Chairman
2. Abraham Oshidami
3. Rimini Makama
4. Aliyu Edogi Aliyu – (Rep FMCIDE)
5. Joseph B Faluyi – (Rep. of Federal Ministry of Finance)
6. Auwal Mohammed – (Rep. of FMBNP)
7. Uzoma Dozie
8. Peter Bankole
9. Abayomi Anthony Okanlawon
10. Gafar Oluwasegun Quadri and the
11. USPF Secretary
The Federal Government established the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) to facilitate the achievement of national policy goals for universal access and service to information and communication technologies (ICTs) in rural, unserved and underserved areas in Nigeria.
Anambra State ICT Agency has restated its commitment to creating a digitally inclusive environment where Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) can access and benefit from government services without barriers.
Speaking when the Anambra State Disability Rights Commission (ADRC), in partnership with the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) programme, paid an advocacy visit to his office, the Managing Director/CEO of the ICT Agency, Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, underscored the Soludo administration’s determination to make governance work for all, including PWDs.
Mr. Agbata noted that intentional inclusion is a key part of the Governor’s technology-driven vision for the state which is why the commission recently received a wide range of digital tools to enhance their productivity.
“Technology is only truly impactful when it works for everyone, regardless of physical ability.
We are committed to removing digital barriers and making our platforms accessible to all residents of Anambra State,” he said.
CFA also disclosed that the Agency will take immediate steps to appoint a Disability Desk Officer, work with the commission to ensure that all government ICT platforms are designed to meet accessibility standards, and as well as incorporate PWD-friendly features into ongoing upgrades of the SolutionLens feedback platform.
The visit also featured presentations from ADRC’s Head of ICT, Mr. Bonaventure Umeokwonna, who outlined the Commission’s priorities, and RoLAC representatives, who pledged continued support for building capacity and strengthening the policy framework for inclusion.
Mr. Valentine Nwachukwu, Head of Planning, Research and Statistics at the Commission, gave the vote of thanks, commending the ICT Agency’s openness to collaboration.
The Anambra State ICT Agency continues to work closely with ministries, departments, and agencies to deepen digital transformation in the state, ensuring that no segment of society is left behind.
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