E-Financial
MasterCard Lists Expectations from Digital Financial Services Lab

MasterCard has expressed its expectations Digital Financial Services lab recently launched in East Africa with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
In a telephone chat with Nigeria CommunicationsWeek, Daniel Lanre Monehin, division president, Sub-Saharan Africa at MasterCard, said although the lab comes up in East Africa, MasterCard will ensure innovations and applications developed therein be used to leapfrog financial inclusion in the African Continent.
Globally, digital payment innovations let more people take advantage of formal financial services. These tools are simple to use, efficient and have the potential to dramatically reduce costs.
Despite these innovations, there are still 2.5 billion adults around the world who are excluded from the formal financial system. These people lack access to basic financial services and are forced to rely on cash, which creates instability and significant risks.
MasterCard is notable as a leading global payments solutions company that provides a family of well-known, widely-accepted payment card brands including MasterCard, Maestro and Cirrus and serves consumers, financial institutions, and businesses in over 210 countries and territories worldwide.
Monehin said that the new initiative seeking to impact more than 100 million people even globally, by developing practical and cost-effective financial tools that expand access and help build stable futures over the long term.
Specifically, the Divisional President said that Africans fates are now in their hands, hence MasterCard is interested in tackling issues related to biometrics, pensions, e-payment and cashless economy policies, and bring the financially excluded into the system.
He reiterated that through an $11 million grant over three years from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the lab will generate new ideas with local entrepreneurs, governments and other stakeholders across East Africa, and rapidly move from concept to reality.
“Although the lad is launched in East Africa, but the innovations coming from there will not only be implementable in East Africa, or Africa, rather MasterCard is interested in addressing several critical financial inclusion challenges. Every economy has its peculiar challenges; what we want is for Africans to develop applications that will serve the people and bring the financially excluded on-board,” Monehin said.
While expressing confidence on the viability of the project, he cited the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), one of the world’s first debit card-based payment systems for welfare benefits and social security, which has saved the country $350million over a five-year period.
He said, “MasterCard is passionate about the new innovation and we draw our inspiration, again, from the SASSA project in South Africa where the debit card issued to the citizens serves multiple purposes. Today, South African uses the card to disburse government pension, disability, and public assistance payments because of its biometric-debit card composition.
“Unlike normal debit cards, the South African cards require users to have their fingerprints and voices digitally analyzed by computers. In effect, they’re the next generation of the EBT cards commonly used for food stamps in the United States”.
In Nigeria, he said, MasterCard is passionately involved in the management of payments account specific information under the ongoing national identity management scheme, and hopes “the Card when activated will help in bring about 70% of the financially excluded Nigerians in the banking system; deepen e-payment and help in the disbursement of pension”.
Expatiating on the payments technology deployed by Mastercard under the program, Monehin said the eID card is a chip and pin card certified according to the EuroPay, Mastercard and Visa (EMV) standard for globally interoperable, secure payments, which is mandated by the Federal Government, and it is approved and licenced by the CBN.
Thus, MasterCard’s vision for setting up the digital financial service lab was geared towards addressing issues where, “Many people lack access to the most basic financial services, leaving them trapped in a cash economy that imposes greater risks and costs on those least able to afford them.
He added that the investment made by the Gates Foundation, coupled with MasterCard strong innovation processes, they will create and scale financial services that open up a world of inclusion and help people build better, brighter futures.
Daniel who is primarily focused on establishing the MasterCard brand presence, driving card issuance, increasing acceptance, deploying innovative solutions and partnering with market regulators, noted that the new lab will be part of MasterCard Labs, MasterCard’s global Research and Development division that focuses on the evolution of technological and consumer trends and has created hundreds of prototypes over the last several years in a variety of areas from payment acceptance to authentication to P2P payments.
E-Financial
MoneyMaster Enhances App, Rewards Users with Data and Airtime Bonuses

MoneyMaster Payment Service Bank has introduced a refreshed mobile banking experience designed to make purchasing airtime and data more convenient and straightforward for customers.

As part of the rollout, customers will enjoy added value on their transactions. Airtime purchases on the Glo network come with a 100 percent bonus, while data purchases attract a 10 percent bonus, giving users amazing rewards on each purchase.
With this revamp, the app is now much easier to use, especially for airtime purchases. From selecting accounts to choosing amounts, the process is more seamless, with clearer options and fewer steps. Data plans are now neatly organized into categories such as daily, weekly, and monthly, making it easier for users to find what they need without endless scrolling.
Beyond the improved layout, customers now have more flexibility in how they recharge. Lower airtime denominations have been introduced, giving users the freedom to choose amounts that better suit their needs, while navigation has been adjusted to be quicker and more intuitive.
Speaking on the update, the bank’s Head of Business, Tajudeen Omokhide, explained that the goal is to make payments as simple and seamless as possible. According to him, customers expect speed, clarity, and affordability, and these improvements are part of the bank’s ongoing effort to meet those expectations. He also encouraged both existing and new users to get the latest version of the app.
These updates are a testament to MoneyMaster’s broader mission of developing practical, relevant products for everyday life. Promoted by Globacom and licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria, the bank offers mobile wallets, savings accounts, individual current accounts, and business banking services.
MoneyMaster continues to position itself as a flexible, customer-centric platform, enabling over 4,000 individual and business billers to manage payments, access financial services, and stay connected with ease.
E-Financial
CBN Directs IMTOs to Open Naira Settlement Accounts

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed all International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs) operating in the country to open and maintain naira settlement accounts with authorised dealer banks, as part of efforts to tighten oversight of diaspora remittances and improve transparency in the foreign exchange market.

The directive was contained in a circular dated March 24, 2026, signed by Dr Musa Nakorji, director of the Trade and Exchange Department, and addressed to IMTOs, authorised dealer banks and the general public.
The circular was published on the apex bank’s website on Tuesday.
The CBN said the measure is aimed at “enhancing diaspora remittances, strengthening transparency, traceability, and effective monitoring of all transactions.”
It stated that “all IMTOs are hereby directed to open naira settlement accounts and ensure that all transactions are routed strictly through their designated settlement accounts, maintained with Authorised Dealer Banks in Nigeria.”
Under the new rule, all inflows, beneficiary payments and related settlements linked to international money transfers are to be processed solely through these accounts.
IMTOs may, however, operate multiple settlement accounts across different banks in line with their operational needs.
The circular also introduced tighter controls on how the accounts can be funded, stating that they “shall only be credited with remittance flows and proceeds of foreign exchange conversions by licensed IMTOs (or their agents)” within the Nigerian foreign exchange market.
Operators are required to clearly designate the accounts and submit the details to the CBN, with updates provided periodically where necessary.
To improve market operations, authorised dealer banks are permitted to process foreign currency transfers from IMTO settlement accounts to other banks and approved participants, including licensed Bureau De Change operators.
The apex bank further directed IMTOs to adopt market-reflective pricing by referencing the Bloomberg BMatch system. It said IMTOs “shall observe real-time market prices from the Bloomberg BMATCH and utilise this as guidance for pricing transactions with their customers and Authorised Dealers.”
According to the CBN, this approach is expected to “improve price discovery, reduce information asymmetry between IMTOs and banks, and encourage increased participation in the official FX market.”
The bank added that all operators must maintain proper transaction records for regulatory checks and comply fully with anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing and counter-proliferation financing rules.
“This directive takes effect from May 1, 2026. Please note and ensure compliance,” the circular stated.
The move shows the CBN’s push to channel remittance inflows through formal banking channels, boost liquidity in the official foreign exchange market and strengthen regulatory oversight of cross-border transactions.
E-Financial
DLM Capital Group’s AAA-Rated Sovereign Bond-Backed Composite Notes (“SBCNS”) Strengthens Investor Confidence with Successful First Principal & Interest Payment

Foremost Development Investment Bank, DLM Capital Group has reinforced its position as a leader in innovative fixed income solutions with the successful payment of the first principal and interest (coupon) to investors under its Sovereign Bond-Backed Composite Notes (“SBCNs”) issuance.

This milestone, alongside the consistent delivery of quarterly performance reports, underscores the Group’s commitment to transparency, capital preservation, and investor confidence.
DLM SPV PLC’s 40.62% Hold-to-Maturity return ₦7.30 billion (Tranche A) and 19.07% ₦1.70 billion (Tranche B) Plain Vanilla Series 1 Notes, issued under its ₦30.00 billion Medium-Term Notes Programme and developed by Sonnie Babatunde Ayere, Group CEO of DLM Capital, was recently listed on the FMDQ Exchange with the Tranche A bond becoming the most valuable AAA-rated corporate bond on the market.
This represents a new class of structured debt instruments designed to meet both issuer funding needs and investor expectations. As a platform widely recognised for supporting innovative debt structures, FMDQ provides an enabling environment for instruments like DLM’s SBCNs to thrive.
At launch in July 2025, DLM SBCNs, which achieved a 9-notch upgrade from BBB- (GCR Sponsor ratings at issuance) without securitisation, entered the market with a healthy degree of skepticism, as is typical with pioneering financial instruments. However, after six months of post-issuance, DLM Funding SPV Plc has delivered on its promise by comfortably and successfully meeting its first principal and coupon obligations to its investors.
This performance milestone has significantly strengthened market confidence and validated the robustness of the structure. The notes are rated AAA by Global Credit Rating and AAA by DataPro Limited, reflecting their strong credit fundamentals and low-risk profile. Designed to prioritise capital preservation, liquidity, and above competitive market returns, the instrument stands out as one of the most compelling corporate fixed income offerings for institutional investors currently available in the market.
Investor response has been notably strong and institutional investors who are beginning to recognize the value of a well-structured de-risked, high-return and, high-quality fixed income investment backed by a credible issuer with a proven track record. The combination of timely coupon payments, high credit ratings, and ongoing transparency has positioned SBCNs as a preferred option for investors seeking stability and performance in today’s evolving financial landscape.
As investor interest continues to build towards Series 2, DLM SBCNs are not only demonstrating resilience but also setting a benchmark for innovation in Nigeria’s debt capital markets. In its role as a Development Investment Bank (“DIB”), DLM Capital Group remains committed to delivering structured solutions that align with investor needs whilst maintaining the highest standards of governance and execution.
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