For Nigerian retailers, peak seasons like “Detty December” bring a surge in business but also a major headache: long queues and failed transactions. Nomba, a leading African digital bank, has moved to solve this by integrating Apple Pay across its platform, becoming the first payments company to enable the service for both in-store and online transactions in Nigeria.
The move aims to slash checkout times and open local businesses to a global customer base by removing the friction of manual card entries and failed bank transfers.
Faster Checkouts: The End of the POS Queue
During high-traffic periods, when the diaspora and tourists flood Nigerian cities, the speed of payment can make or break a business day. Nomba’s solution turns every iPhone into a payment terminal:
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The Scan-to-Pay Flow: Customers simply open their iPhone camera, scan the merchant’s QR code, and authenticate with Face ID.
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No Physical Hardware Needed: It eliminates the need for physical cards or “dipping” cards into POS machines, which often fail with international cards.
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Instant Confirmation: Merchants see the successful payment immediately on their Nomba app or POS device.
Unlocking Global Sales for Local Web Merchants
The digital hurdle is even higher for online businesses. International customers often abandon carts when faced with complex, unfamiliar checkout flows or repeated card errors. By adding Apple Pay to their online stack:
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Invisible Checkout: Customers can buy in seconds without typing long card numbers.
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Higher Conversion: Reducing steps at checkout leads to fewer abandoned purchases for digital services and physical exports.
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Global Trust: Using a globally recognized payment method like Apple Pay builds instant credibility for Nigerian brands selling abroad.
Managing the Back-End Complexity
Behind every “instant” international payment is a complex web of global processors and settlement delays. Nomba has committed to shielding merchants from this volatility:
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Guaranteed Cash Flow: Nomba pays merchants out of its own funds even if upstream international settlement is delayed.
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Risk Management: The company absorbs the risks associated with unfavorable foreign exchange shifts and held funds.
“Our merchants should never feel the complexity or risk of global payment processing. Even when settlements from upstream processors are delayed, we ensure merchants are paid on time using our own funds.” — Nomba
The Future of Nigerian Commerce
The integration of Apple Pay signals a shift in Nigeria’s payment landscape—from simple bank transfers to high-end, secure, and “invisible” global wallets. As Nigeria aims for a $1 trillion economy, tools like these ensure that local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are not just surviving locally, but are equipped to compete on the global stage.
