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By Sunday Ani
Wema Bank has introduced Google Pay for eligible Mastercard holders, expanding its digital payment services to enable customers to make secure and contactless payments locally and internationally.
The bank said the integration would allow customers to use their existing Wema Mastercard through Google Pay to pay for goods and services across supported online platforms, mobile applications and physical merchant locations.
With the development, customers can shop online, pay for digital subscriptions, book travel and complete international transactions, as well as make contactless payments at supported point-of-sale terminals using compatible Android smartphones without presenting their physical cards.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Moruf Oseni, said the initiative reflected the bank’s commitment to making banking and payment services simpler, more accessible and responsive to changing customer needs.
Oseni said: “At Wema Bank, we remain committed to making banking and payments simpler, more accessible and responsive to the evolving needs of our customers. As more people embrace digital commerce and mobile-first experiences, we recognise the importance of providing payment solutions that allow them to transact conveniently, securely and confidently, wherever supported.
“Our introduction of Google Pay for eligible Wema Mastercard holders represents another important step in this direction. Customers can now enjoy more flexibility in how they use their existing cards, whether shopping online, making international payments or completing everyday purchases at contactless-enabled locations. We are particularly excited about the opportunity to bring this globally recognised payment experience closer to our customers in Nigeria.
“This development reflects our continued investment in digital innovation and our commitment to delivering practical solutions that improve the everyday banking experience of our customers.”
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The bank explained that the payment service uses tokenisation technology to protect customers’ card details by replacing their actual card numbers with unique digital tokens during transactions.
It said the technology ensures that customers’ actual card numbers are not shared with merchants when payments are made through Google Pay, providing an additional layer of protection for their financial information.
“Customers can also benefit from security features on compatible devices, including screen locks and device authentication.
“To activate the service, eligible Wema Mastercard holders are required to download Google Wallet from the Google Play Store, add their cards and complete the necessary verification process.
“Once activated, customers can select Google Pay when checking out on participating online platforms or tap their compatible NFC-enabled Android smartphones on supported contactless payment terminals to complete transactions.
“The introduction of Google Pay further expands the bank’s digital payment ecosystem and builds on its investments in card innovation and tokenisation, including the recent enablement of tokenisation for Verve cardholders through its ALAT digital banking platform.”
Wema Bank, which pioneered Africa’s first fully digital bank, ALAT, said the latest development was part of its efforts to expand customers’ access to emerging payment technologies and improve their participation in the digital economy.
The bank added that eligible Mastercard holders could begin using the service after completing the card registration and verification process, while contactless in-store payments would require compatible NFC-enabled Android devices and supported payment terminals.
