Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) at the weekend said that Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) is gearing up to commence cashless banking initiative.
Mr. Tunde Lemo, deputy governor, Operations, Central Bank of Nigeria, told journalist in Lagos that CBN has gone very far in upgrading NIPOST facilities for successful deployment in deepening cashless policy agenda.
The measures probably spurred the beautification of the six-storey NIPOST head office in Lagos, and the provision of necessary facilities for the building.
“We have consultants working with us and had enumerated those places that should be refurbished.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek recalled that CBN had discussed with the NIPOST management on the possibility of using the offices to enable nationwide mobile banking activities. CBN’s decision was informed by the fact that NIPOST has abandoned offices that could be upgraded for mobile payment needs.
CBN thus identified NIPOST offices as would play key roles in the growth of mobile payment services, where instead of people buying stamps in NIPOST offices, they would go there to buy e-values, and later convert it to cash across the country.
Provisions have been made for payment options, such as Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards, Point of Sales (POS), Web Banking, among others.
Lemo, added “We are going to the third phase now, which is to refurbish those NIPOST locations and equip them. We are working with the Ministry of Communication Technology. Before long we are going to have them included in the network”.