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Fintechs Dangle Loans Online without Collateral

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A growing number of Nigerians are now getting loans to meet their daily financial needs, thanks to the boom in financial technology industry.

 

Whether it’s a personal loan, medical loan, rent loan, car loan, education loan, business loan or just to buy some household goods – Nigerians can their your bills sorted out within few minutes without stress, and definitely without collateral or guarantor associated with regular bank loans.

 

Here are the 10 most popular;

  1. Carbon: Formerly called Paylater, the Carbon mobile app offers more than just quick loans and is owned by One Finance & Investment Limited.

Aside the fact that you can easily get loans from N5000 to N1,000,000 repayable for a tenor of between 7 – 180 days, your account will be credited within 3 minutes of submitting your application on the app.

Carbon One of the amazing features of the Carbon app is its recently introduced Cashback option, which allows users to borrow money and be rewarded with up to 50 percent of the interest rate charged if loan is repaid before the agreed deadline.

It may even allow you to borrow money for a shorter period without any interest rate or for as low as 7.5 percent (monthly), if you’ve maintained a good credit scorecard with them (by repaying borrowed loan on or before due date).

Also, it gives users the privilege of investing money in its payment portfolio named ‘PayVest’ via the app interface which yields an interest of up to 16 percent annually by investing in treasury bills and other money market instruments.

Beyond loans and investment, users can send cash to friends and family or any Nigerian bank account for as low as N10 per transaction, recharge airtime or data on their mobile phones and pay for bills such as electricity, Cable TV subscription, book for transportation/airlines/hotel reservations, and even school fees for most educational institutions in the country right from the Carbon app.

Though currently available in Nigeria and Ghana only, the Carbon app is fast, secure, reliable – as it recently passed the PCI-DSS compliance test (that is, a global security standard that ensure companies handling information have the right systems in place to protect customer’s data) – and works any time of the day, including on public holidays.

 

  1. PalmCredit: Owned by Transsnet Financial group, the PalmCredit mobile app offers quick loans for short term needs in less than 5 minutes.

PalmCredit Individual users can get a loan of N2,000 up to N300,000 instantly without any collateral or paperwork with a weekly/monthly interest rate of between 8% to 24% for a limited tenor of 7 – 180 days.

Once you repay your borrowed loan on time, the app automatically increases your loan limit,

 

  1. Branch: One popular app that disburses loan in less than 3 minutes after applying is Branch app.

With an equivalent interest rate of 20 percent per month, users can get personal loans from N1,000 up to N200,000 quickly, anytime, from anywhere without collateral for a tenor of 4 – 40 weeks, depending on your loan option.

Branch. You can complete its application process within a minute and receive your loan directly in your regular bank account shortly thereafter.

Presently operating in Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, India and Mexico, the Branch app also allows users to spread repayment into 4 weeks.

As you apply for loans and repay on or before the due date regularly, the app gradually reduces the equivalent interest rates per month to as low as 15 percent and also increases your loan tenor.

According to the company, interest rates are determined by a number of factors, including user’s repayment history and the cost of lending for Branch.

 

  1. Quick Credit (by GTBank): Known for its digital disruption of the Nigerian banking sector and innovations, the GTBank-backed Quick Credit offers individuals, especially salary account holders with the bank an opportunity to get quick loans to meet urgent individual needs.

Quick Credit by GTBank. Accessible through the GTBank mobile app, website, GTWorld and Habari app, the Quick Credit offers users an instant loan of N10,000 up to N5million for salary earners at a monthly flat interest rate of 1.75 percent. Its loan tenor ranges between 1-12 months.

Aside using the GTBank app to access the Quick Credit loan, anyone with a mobile phone can also access the loan by dialling its USSD code: *731*51*51#. To be eligible to access the loan, it said customer must earn a minimum net monthly salary of N10,000; including having no history of dud cheques, bad credit report or unpaid obligations.

 

  1. ALAT (by Wema Bank): If you’re tired of your regular commercial banks and feel like being in charge of your money directly, get the ALAT app.

Popularly referred to as Nigeria’s first full digital bank, ALAT is owned and managed by Wema Bank, one of Nigeria’s national heritage banks.

ALAT From opening a full-fledged bank account, sending and receiving cash to paying bills and carrying out other banking transactions in the comfort of your home or office, ALAT also offers users the choice of getting a free and customised Naira ATM card and virtual dollar card for ATM and online transactions.

Besides, it offers users 10 percent interest per annum on savings in the ALAT app and also gives them the privilege of applying for a loan without paperwork or bank officials’ visitation to any physical location within minutes.

It allows users to borrow as much as N200,000 without any collateral or guarantor as well as schedule money transfers or bills payment without hassle.

 

  1. Eyowo: Eyowo provides simple, digital and reliable financial services to anyone with a phone number. Users can spend, send, receive, save and borrow money by dialling a USSD code: *4255# on their mobile phones or via the Eyowo mobile app or website or by just calling its IVR centre on 01-7001511,

 

  1. Aella Credit: This user-friendly online loan app offers as low as N2,000, up to N1,000,000 within 10 minutes after submitting your loan application.

Initially launched as a loan platform for employees of companies in its network, the Aella Credit app also now offers individuals who may seek quick loans to meet urgent needs. It operates in Lagos, Nigeria; Accra in Ghana and Manila in the Philippines.

Aella Credit It also allows any registered company to sign-up and joined its network, just as employees in its network only need their name and employee ID number to get quick access to higher loan amounts with minimal interest rates. With each timely repayment of borrowed money, users’ loan limit increases and while interest rate reduces.

It offers users loan for a tenor of 30 – 60 days, starting at a 30 percent monthly interest rate; though this may reduce to around 4 percent once the user maintains a good credit report on the app over time. The Aella Credit app also allows individuals and corporate organisations to invest on its platform via its website as it promises them annual returns from 15 percent, up to 48 percent, depending on its tenor.

 

  1. OKash: Accessing this mobile loan platform is only possible through the Opay mobile app, owned by the Opay Digital Services Limited/Paycom; though the OKash is independently owned and managed by Blue Ridge Microfinance Bank Ltd.

OKash by Opay It offers users instant loans from N1,500 up to N50,000 for a repayment tenor of 7 to 90 days, at about 10 – 24 percent interest rate per month. It also promises to offer loans at reduced interest rates once a user becomes regular customer on the app.

 

  1. JumiaOne: Though a multi-purpose android app, it is owned by the Jumia Group. Aside serving as an online payment platform for Nigeria’s leading e-commerce site, Jumia Nigeria, the JumiaOne app also offers loan to its individual users without collateral. J

JumiaOne Users can access loans by scrolling down to the ‘Financial Services’ section on the JumiaOne app and clicking ‘Loans’. Once you supplied all the information requested, including disbursement details, you get your alert within 10 minutes or less, depending on your internet network.

The JumiaOne app offers loans from N5,000 to N100,000 for a tenor of 15 – 30 days and even more days, depending on the user’s credit score with JumiaOne.

Sometimes, users get loans at 15 percent interest rate for 15 days period while longer tenor attracts higher interest rates and can be as high as 30 percent monthly in some cases for a first-timer. But it promises to offer bigger loans with lower interest rates on subsequent loans.

 

  1. FairMoney: This loan app provides quick cash for personal finance, house rent, health emergency, business, education needs and car repairs without collateral or guarantor.

Fairmoney With a repayment tenor of 2 – 12 weeks, users can borrow money from N1,000 to N150,000 within few minutes of applying, based on your creditworthiness. Also, it offers business loan for small business owners who plan to start up a business or to grow an existing business.

 


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Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. So since 2007, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and how they affect lives.

E-Financial

CBN to Raise N700Bn in First Treasury Bills Auction this May

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Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is set to raise N700 billion through a Nigerian Treasury Bills auction scheduled for May 7, marking its first issuance for the month in line with its second-quarter borrowing plan.

CBN to Raise N700Bn in First Treasury Bills Auction this May

Details from the tender notice, issued on behalf of the Debt Management Office (DMO), show that the offering will be split across three maturities using the Dutch auction system.

The apex bank plans to issue N100 billion in 91-day bills, N50 billion in 182-day bills, and N550 billion in 364-day bills, with the longer-tenor instrument expected to attract the strongest investor demand due to higher yields.

The auction forms part of the Federal Government’s broader domestic borrowing strategy aimed at managing liquidity and funding short-term obligations.

It also kicks off two planned NTB issuances for May, with another N650 billion auction scheduled later in the month.

Investor participation is expected to remain strong, supported by favourable system liquidity and sustained interest from institutional players such as pension fund managers and financial institutions.

Analysts say the auction outcome will offer key insights into yield direction and overall market sentiment as the second quarter progresses.

Recent activity in the Treasury bills market highlights the government’s aggressive borrowing pace.

In April alone, total allotments exceeded initial targets, signalling robust demand and the government’s willingness to take advantage of market conditions.

 


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Why African Crypto Brands must Communicate like Banks, Not Startups

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By John Kokome

Across Africa, cryptocurrency has evolved from a fringe experiment into a serious financial instrument. From remittances and cross-border trade to inflation hedging and digital savings, millions of Africans now interact with crypto not as speculation, but as utility.

Yet while the market is maturing, many African crypto brands are still communicating like Silicon Valley startups, fast, flashy, informal, and overly obsessed with hype. That approach may have worked in the era of early adoption. It will not sustain trust in the era of mainstream finance.

The future belongs to crypto brands that communicate like banks.

This does not mean becoming boring, bureaucratic, or detached. It means understanding that financial services are built on trust, clarity, consistency, and accountability. Customers can forgive a fashion brand for vague messaging. They cannot forgive a financial platform for uncertainty.

Across the continent, trust remains one of the biggest barriers to financial innovation. Consumers have witnessed collapsed schemes, frozen wallets, rug pulls, and overnight disappearances disguised as “investment opportunities.” Many people do not distinguish between legitimate blockchain businesses and opportunistic fraudsters. To the average customer, they often look the same: sleek logos, social media promises, referral bonuses, and aggressive influencer marketing.

That is where communication becomes strategic.

Banks spend decades refining the language of confidence. They explain risk. They publish policies. They reassure customers during uncertainty. They understand that silence during a crisis can trigger panic. Crypto brands operating in Africa must adopt the same discipline.

When customers ask where their funds are stored, how transactions are processed, what happens during delays, or how disputes are resolved, the answers should not be buried in jargon-filled FAQs. They should be visible, simple, and repeated consistently across channels.

In practical terms, this means moving away from the startup culture of “move fast and explain later.” Financial trust does not work that way. If a platform experiences downtime, users should hear from the company immediately. If regulations change, brands should educate users calmly and clearly. If there are risks, they should be disclosed honestly, not hidden beneath marketing slogans.

African regulators are also paying closer attention to the digital asset sector. From the Central Bank of Nigeria to the Securities and Exchange Commission, institutions increasingly want visibility, compliance, and consumer protection. This should not be seen as hostility. It is a signal that crypto is entering the serious room of finance.

And in serious rooms, communication standards matter.

The brands that will thrive are not necessarily the loudest on social media. They will be the most credible. They will issue timely updates, publish transparent policies, train customer-facing teams, respond professionally to complaints, and speak with the calm authority expected of custodians of value.

Take remittances as an example. Many Africans use crypto rails because traditional transfers can be expensive or slow. But if a user sending school fees from United Kingdom to Nigeria encounters a delay, speed is no longer the only concern. Assurance becomes everything. A prompt explanation can retain a customer. Silence can lose them forever.

This is where African crypto brands have a strategic advantage. They understand local realities better than many global competitors. They know the pain of currency volatility, settlement delays, and fragmented payment systems. But local relevance alone is not enough. They must pair innovation with institutional-grade communication.

At FlashChange, for instance, the broader lesson is clear: in a trust-sensitive market, users do not only buy rates or speed. They buy confidence. Every message, update, customer response, and public statement contributes to that confidence.

The next growth phase of crypto in Africa will not be won solely by technology stacks, token listings, or referral campaigns. It will be won by reputation.

Banks learned long ago that money moves where trust lives. Crypto brands on the continent must learn the same lesson, and fast.

Because if you are handling people’s value, their savings, or their transfers, you are no longer just a startup. You are a financial institution in the public mind. Communicate accordingly.

 

John Kokome is the Corporate Communications Manager at FlashChange, a fintech platform redefining secure digital asset exchange. With experience across fintech, cryptocurrency, telecoms, and development communications in Africa.

 


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Access Bank Warns Nigerians against Fake WhatsApp Investment Groups using Aig-Imoukhuede’s Identity

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Access Bank has said that scammers are impersonating, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, former group chairman, with fraudulent WhatsApp investment groups and warned Nigerians to avoid and report groups.

Access Bank Warns Nigerians against Fake WhatsApp Investment Groups using Aig-Imoukhuede’s Identity

The fake WhatsApp investment groups masquerading under the name “Value Growth Club,” lure unsuspecting members of the public into investment schemes.

In a public disclaimer issued yesterday, the bank said the fraudsters were falsely presenting themselves as associates of Aig-Imoukhuede and linking his name to Gotham Capital in a calculated bid to lend credibility to the scam.

Access Bank said checks had confirmed that Aig-Imoukhuede has no affiliation whatsoever with the WhatsApp groups or any related investment platform, stressing that the respected banker neither created, endorsed, nor authorised any initiative known as “Value Growth Club.”

The lender emphatically stated that its former chairman was not involved in any WhatsApp-based investment competition, trading group, or financial initiative tied to Gotham Capital or any similar entity, and described the representations as false, misleading, and fraudulent.

It urged members of the public not to join the groups, or send money, or disclose personal or financial information to anyone claiming to be associated with the purported platform.

The bank also advised individuals who may have encountered the groups to exit immediately, report the accounts through appropriate channels, and ignore further contact from the operators.

The warning comes amid heightened regulatory concern over the proliferation of digital investment scams in Nigeria.

Earlier this year, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) similarly flagged the Value Growth Platform, warning that the entity displayed characteristics consistent with a Ponzi-style operation.

The commission said the platform had portrayed itself as a sophisticated investment service offering market intelligence, portfolio guidance, and third-party trading services, but investigations showed that its claims were misleading and potentially unlawful.


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