General News
Reps Decry Rising Fraudulent Activities Linked to POS
The House of Representatives has raised concern over a surge in fraud linked to Point-of-Sale (POS) operators nationwide. POS terminals are now a popular cash source for businesses and individuals seeking alternatives to ATMs, even though ATM fees are lower.
Speaking at a resumed investigative hearing with fintech stakeholders at the National Assembly Complex on Monday, the Chairman of the House Ad-hoc Committee on the Economic, Regulatory and Security Implications of Cryptocurrency Adoption and POS Operations in Nigeria, Hon. Olufemi Bamisile, lamented what he described as the infiltration of unlicensed crypto-related activities in the sector.
According to him, the Committee has received multiple reports of unprofiled agents, cloned terminals, anonymous transactions, and weak Know-Your-Customer practices, which he said are putting Nigerians at serious risk of financial loss, cybercrime, and security breaches.
“We are concerned about the growing rise in fraud associated with POS operations. Unprofiled agents, cloned terminals, and weak KYC practices continue to expose citizens to preventable dangers.
“There are allegations and credible information that some POS operators now engage in crypto-related services for which they are not licensed. This raises serious red flags around anti-money laundering, terrorism financing, data integrity, and the misuse of instruments originally designed for basic payment services,” he said.
Bamisile added that the Committee had been alerted to the registration of phony companies at the Corporate Affairs Commission, some of which allegedly use the National Identification Number and Bank Verification Number of unsuspecting citizens to open accounts and launder illicit funds through unverified POS channels.
“This highlight weak verification mechanisms and underscores the urgent need for a coordinated oversight framework,” he said.
He also disclosed that the Committee will investigate the storage of sensitive customer data on foreign servers by major fintech companies operating in Nigeria, warning that keeping data outside the country’s jurisdiction undermines regulators’ and security agencies’ ability to conduct audits, trace suspicious transactions, or enforce compliance.
“This has direct national security implications, especially in a sector connected to terrorism financing risks and cyber-enabled crimes,” he said.
Despite the concerns, Bamisile assured operators that the engagement was not a witch-hunt but an effort to rid the sector of practices harmful to the fintech industry.
“Our mandate is clear: to recommend legislation that will deliver a harmonised regulatory framework, stronger security safeguards, improved consumer protection, and an environment where innovation and investment can flourish responsibly,” he said.
The National President of the Association of Digital Payment and POS Operators of Nigeria, Paul Okafor, warned that the POS ecosystem has reached a critical emergency point, with fraud rising to a level that now poses a direct national security threat.
He told lawmakers that while POS operators had increased from 50,000 in 2017 to more than 2.3 million in 2025, regulatory capacity had grown by “less than 10 per cent”.
“This imbalance is what has produced the crisis we are facing today. The regulators, especially the CBN, are not incompetent; they are overwhelmed by the sheer speed and scale of growth.”
Quoting data from the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System, Okafor said POS, banking, and digital-payment channels suffered N17.67bn in fraud losses in 2023, affecting more than 80,000 customers. The situation worsened sharply in 2024, with losses rising to N52.26bn—an increase of N34.59bn in one year.
“More than 38,000 POS fraud cases were officially reported in one year. Unofficially, we estimate that over 70,000 cases go unreported because victims simply give up.
“In some states, security agencies report that nearly 40 per cent of kidnap ransom payments pass through informal POS cash-out channels. This is no longer a fintech issue; this is a national security threat,” he warned.
Okafor urged the Committee to issue a directive compelling the CBN to introduce urgent reforms to stabilise the system.
“If we fail to act, fraud will escalate, kidnappers will continue to exploit the system, Nigerians will lose more money, financial inclusion will collapse, and trust in the financial system will be destroyed. And when trust dies, the financial system dies,” he said.
To restore order, he outlined three measures ADPPON wants implemented immediately: mandatory Nigeria Police Force–NCCC Cybercrime Clearance Certificates for all POS operators; mandatory CAC registration for every POS business; and mandatory membership of recognised trade associations to enforce training, discipline, and self-regulation.
“These are practical, lawful solutions aligned with existing laws and international standards. They can be implemented without creating new legislation,” he told lawmakers.
He cited examples from other countries, noting that India, Kenya, Brazil, South Africa, and the United Kingdom enforce strict oversight to protect their POS ecosystems.
“In Brazil, agent fraud dropped by over 60 per cent after the government mandated police vetting. India, with over five million agents, maintains low fraud rates because verification is non-negotiable. No country leaves its financial system open to millions of operators or puts it in the hands of foreigners without strict controls. Nigeria must not be the exception,” he stressed.
Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA) has warned of possible floods in parts of Adamawa, Bauchi, Edo, Imo, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Kaduna, Plateau, Niger, Benue, and Borno states within the next seven days.
According to information posted on NIHSA X handle, the Agency announced medium flood advisory in force for the next 7 days across Adamawa, Bauchi, and 11 other States.
“Localised inundation is forecast along the main channel; named communities below sit on the projected footprint. Stations: Saminara on the Karam river, Waya Dam Site on the Waya river, Amber on the Amber river.
“Adamawa; Lemsa, Lamurde, Numan Exposure: 147 comm. 49 schis 40 hith 6 mkts17 relig. Bauchi-Bauchi, Ningi, Shira. Exposure: 4 comm. Kaduna; Chikun, Giwa, Igabi, Jaba, Jema’a, Kachia, Kaura, Kauru, +6 more. Exposure: 1 comm.
“Borno-Gubio, Mobbar. Exposure: 680 comm. 8 schls 6 hith 5 mkts 21 relig. Edo-Akoko-Ed, EtsakoEa, EtsakoWe, Ikpoba-Okha, Orhionmw, OviaNort, OviaSo.. Exposure: 3 comm.
“Imo-Aboh-Mba, Oguta, Ohaji/Eg, Okigwe, Owerri North, Owerri West. Exposure: 3 comm. 7 more states affected and severity LGAs”.
NIHSA advised people in the affected areas to “do NOT cross flooded roads, bridges, or fast-moving water on foot or by vehicle.
“Clear drainage channels and river-mouth blockages; avoid building or living in the floodplain and move people, livestock and valuables from the floodplain to pre-identified higher ground,” NIHSA stated.
General News
First Trustees Advocates Estate Planning as an Essential Tool in Every Wealth Creation Strategy
First Trustees Limited, a subsidiary of FirstHoldCo Plc., and a leading provider of fiduciary and trusteeship services in Nigeria, is encouraging individuals, professionals, entrepreneurs, and investors to view Estate Planning not as an end-of-life exercise, but as a strategic investment tool for protecting, preserving, and transferring wealth across generations.
As more Nigerians focus on wealth creation through businesses, real estate investments, and other income-generating assets, experts are emphasizing that building wealth is only one part of the equation.
Equally important is creating structures that ensure those assets remain protected, properly managed, and seamlessly transferred to succeeding generations in accordance with the asset owner’s wishes. Importantly, Estate Planning is not solely for the wealthy, it is a prudent step for anyone with assets, dependants, or a business to protect, regardless of age, profession, or net worth.
Speaking on the importance of Estate Planning, Ereifemi Akeredolu, Managing Director/CEO, First Trustees Limited, noted that Estate Planning should be considered a core pillar of every long-term financial strategy.
“Many people focus on creating wealth but give litle thought to preserving it. Estate Planning is a wealth protection strategy that helps individuals safeguard their assets, secure their family’s future, and ensure that the value they build today continues to benefit future generations.”
Using tools such as Trusts, Wills, and advanced succession plans, individuals can build structures that support wealth preservation, business continuity, asset protection, and intergenerational wealth transfer.
For entrepreneurs and business owners, Estate Planning serves as a powerful tool for ensuring business sustainability, helping organizations remain stable and operational regardless of unforeseen circumstances.
First Trustees continues to emphasize and educate on the importance of Estate Planning as a comprehensive strategy for proactive planning. It remains one of the most important financial decisions an individual can make: it provides clarity, minimizes uncertainty, and protects assets from unnecessary erosion and disputes. It also creates financial security for loved ones, supports business succession and continuity, and facilitates long-term investment and legacy planning.
General News
Nearpays, Nigerian Fintech Becomes First African Startup to Win UN’s AI for Good Innovation Factory
Nearpays, Nigerian fintech, has won the AI for Good Innovation Factory grand finale — the first African startup ever to take the global title in the competition, which runs as part of the United Nations’ AI for Good Global Summit.
The competition drew more than 500 startups worldwide, each pitching AI solutions aimed at social and economic challenges.
The summit itself is organised by the UN through the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in partnership with several UN agencies, convening governments, researchers, startups, and technology companies around AI’s role in development.
Nearpays’ route to the title ran through Johannesburg, where it won the African regional competition, before advancing to the global finals in Geneva.
There, the company progressed through the semi-finals and claimed the grand finale — a first for the continent.
The company describes the win as bigger than a corporate milestone, calling it a victory for African innovation and proof that technology built to solve local problems can compete, and win, on the world stage.
Nearpays was founded to close a stubborn gap in African payments: small and medium-sized businesses that can’t afford or access traditional point-of-sale terminals.
Cost, availability, and deployment hurdles have kept many merchants — particularly in rural and underserved communities — locked out of digital payments.
Its answer is SoftPOS: an AI-powered platform that turns compatible Android smartphones into payment acceptance devices, letting merchants take contactless card payments with nothing more than their phones. AI is embedded across the platform, supporting payment processing, compliance, fraud detection, and business operations.
Crucially, the platform was built for African infrastructure realities — it works both online and offline, so merchants can keep accepting payments even without internet connectivity.
The company credited its team’s years of product development and customer engagement for the result, and thanked the UN, the ITU, and the AI for Good initiative for building a platform where innovators can apply AI to real-world problems.
It also said it hopes the win encourages more African founders to build technology that answers local needs while competing internationally.
For Nearpays, the title closes one chapter and opens another, as the company pushes on with expanding digital financial infrastructure across Afric
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