Nigeria and Kenya are the next target markets for Identy.io, a global provider of digital identities, as it expands into Africa. Facial, fingerprint, and palm identification are among the safe, mobile biometrics that the company specialises in.

According to Indenty.io, its platform runs locally on smartphones, eliminating cloud storage while maintaining security and privacy.

It goes to say this is achieved by leveraging standard smartphones for fingerprint and face scans, the company aims to bridge the continent’s digital divide, where a significant number of adults still lack basic identification.

To spearhead this rollout, the firm has appointed a specialised regional leadership team, including industry veterans from Nigeria’s Bank Verification Number programme, to integrate their automated Biometric Identification System into national digital public infrastructure.

The company says the significance of this move lies in the departure from traditional, “clunky” biometric models.

Historically, digital ID enrollment in Sub-Saharan Africa has been throttled by the high cost of specialised scanners and the logistical nightmare of deploying them to rural areas.

Identy.io notes that its approach shifts the heavy lifting to mobile software.

Identy.io is positioning itself to capture a market the World Bank’s Identification for Development initiative identifies as critical for financial inclusion.

If successful, this could accelerate government-to-person payments and healthcare access in regions where coverage currently sits below 70%.

“We are transforming the traditional industry model, which often relies on expensive and inflexible digital infrastructure,” says Antony Vendhan, Co-founder of Identy.io. “This allows our clients to reach underserved communities by providing individuals with multimodal access to secure their digital identities.”

The company will face established players like IDEMIA and Thales, who have long dominated government contracts.

Furthermore, Identy.io will face competition from up-and-coming regional fintech identity firms such as Smile ID, which already has a significant presence in Know Your Customer services throughout Africa.

To gain an edge, Identy.io has aligned itself with Modular Open Source Identity Platform (MOSIP).

By being listed on the MOSIP marketplace, the company says its tech becomes “plug-and-play” for governments building open-source national ID systems, a growing trend among nations wary of “vendor lock-in.”

While the primary focus remains on Nigeria and Kenya, Identy.io’s long-term roadmap includes a phased rollout to other emerging markets.

Nigeria powered Jumia Technologies AG’s strongest growth in 2025, cementing its position as the company’s most important market as rising consumer demand, SME activity and logistics expansion boosted performance across the e-commerce platform.

In the fourth quarter of 2025, Jumia’s Nigeria operations recorded a 50% year-on-year increase in Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) and a 33% rise in orders. The performance highlighted growing adoption of online shopping and Jumia’s increasing relevance to African consumers.

Nigeria’s momentum helped drive 36% year-on-year GMV growth and 34% revenue growth across the group in the quarter, alongside a 26% increase in quarterly active customers. Growth was supported by stronger customer retention and higher order frequency.

Beyond sales growth, Jumia said its Nigeria operations are delivering wider economic impact. The platform supports thousands of local SMEs, enabling them to reach customers nationwide, while continued investment in fulfilment centres and last-mile delivery is creating income opportunities for logistics partners and sales agents.

Efficiency gains were also evident. Fulfilment costs per order declined 12% year-on-year, contributing to a 39% reduction in operating losses and a 47% drop in adjusted EBITDA losses in the fourth quarter. Cash used in operating activities fell sharply to $1.7 million, compared with $26.5 million a year earlier, while liquidity stood at $77.8 million at year-end.

Temidayo Ojo, Chief Executive Officer of Jumia Nigeria, said the results reflect growing trust from consumers and businesses. “Nigeria is central to Jumia’s growth,” Ojo said. “Each order supports local sellers, delivery partners and jobs, while improving access to affordable products for consumers.”

For the full year, Jumia reported 14% GMV growth and 13% revenue growth, with losses narrowing significantly. Looking ahead, the company expects Nigeria to remain a key growth driver as it targets 27–32% GMV growth in 2026 and aims to reach adjusted EBITDA breakeven by the fourth quarter of 2026.

This Valentine’s Day, PalmPay is celebrating love in all its forms with the launch of #LoveWithPalmPay, a campaign highlighting how simple, everyday shared money moments can bring relationships closer.

Valentine’s Day is more than grand gestures; it’s built on the small, meaningful actions that shape relationships, sending timely support, saving together, or managing shared responsibilities. PalmPay encourages users to share 30–60 second real-life stories, either solo or duet style, showing how PalmPay always works and has helped them support or stay connected with someone they love.

The campaign runs from February 9th to 21st across Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok. Four winners will receive ₦100,000 each week for two weeks, totalling a prize pool of ₦800,000.

Entries can take many forms, including couple videos, solo stories, split-screen duets for long-distance couples, or voiceover narratives with photos or clips, making the campaign inclusive for married couples, parents, and long-term partners.

How to Participate:

• Share an authentic love story about your partner
• Clearly show PalmPay in action (transfers, savings, or other in-app activities)
• Be creative and emotionally engaging
• Post between February 9th – 21st with the hashtag #LoveWithPalmPay
• Share on any of PalmPay’s social media platforms

“Love evolves, and so do relationships,” said Olorunfemi Hanson, Head of Marketing and Communication, PalmPay. “From dating to parenthood, the small money moments we share every day play a big role in keeping us connected. With #LoveWithPalmPay, we want to celebrate those stories and show how PalmPay always works, making everyday love simpler, reliable, and meaningful.”

This Valentine’s Day, PalmPay celebrates love as it truly is real, intentional, and built on shared moments.

PalmPay is a leading digital banking platform driving financial inclusion and economic empowerment in underserved emerging markets. Through its secure, user-friendly, and inclusive suite of financial services, PalmPay empowers individuals and businesses with tools to manage and grow their money.

PalmPay offers a comprehensive range of products, including mobile payments, savings, and micro-insurance via its app and mobile money agent network.

Since launching in Nigeria in 2019 under a Mobile Money Operator license, the platform has grown to over 35 million app users and processes up to 15 million transactions daily. PalmPay has operations in Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, and Bangladesh. For more information, visit www.palmpay.com