Unity Bank Plc has announced a strategic partnership with AfriGo, a domestic card scheme, to enhance electronic payment adoption and deepen financial inclusion across Nigeria. The collaboration aims to increase the use of AfriGo cards among Unity Bank’s retail customers, positioning the card as a key local payment solution.
Speaking at a recent meeting in Lagos, Unity Bank’s Managing Director/CEO, Ebenezer Kolawole, emphasized the bank’s commitment to making the AfriGo Card a primary delivery channel. “As a national domestic card scheme, AfriGo deserves to be promoted as a local solution with significant potential to redefine Nigeria’s card payment landscape,” Kolawole said. He also pledged ongoing support for the card’s adoption and encouraged AfriGo to intensify awareness campaigns to boost market acceptance.
AfriGo’s Managing Director, Ebehijie Momoh, praised Unity Bank as one of the top five adopters of the AfriGo card, highlighting the partnership’s role in expanding financial inclusion and improving access to electronic payments. Momoh noted AfriGo’s innovations, including instant payment technologies and offline capabilities, which enable broader access to e-payment services, especially in underserved communities. He also cited the success of contactless payment solutions like Tap & Go in enhancing convenience for users.
This partnership builds on Unity Bank’s strong track record of digital innovation. The bank pioneered USSD banking (*7799#) in local languages to reach rural and semi-urban populations, launched Unifi, a youth-focused digital banking platform, and recently introduced GenFi, a gamified mobile banking app designed to teach children and teenagers smart money habits.
AfriGo itself is a homegrown card scheme developed in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS). It offers Nigerians an affordable, secure, and locally tailored alternative to international card schemes, with features such as chip-and-PIN security, seamless ATM and POS payments, 24/7 fund access, and reward programs. The card targets a broad demographic, including students, market traders, artisans, and small business owners, supporting the nation’s drive toward a cashless economy.
Together, Unity Bank and AfriGo aim to leverage their combined networks and innovations to accelerate the adoption of electronic payments, promote financial inclusion, and contribute to Nigeria’s digital economy growth.
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