PalmPay is doubling down on its mission to make everyday financial life easier for millions of Nigerians, particularly for underserved communities.
At the 2025 CeBIH Annual Conference, Chika Nwosu, the company’s managing director, spoke passionately about why financial inclusion must go beyond technology and numbers.
For him, it’s about people, the market woman who has never used a banking app, the farmer who lives miles from the nearest bank branch, the young mother seeking affordable health coverage, and the millions of Nigerians who still rely solely on cash.
“Financial inclusion goes beyond access; it must be equitable and tailored to real-life needs,” Nwosu said, urging the industry to rethink how it designs and delivers financial services.
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He shared stories from PalmPay’s work at the grassroots, where its 500,000 agents across villages, towns, and bustling marketplaces help unbanked Nigerians deposit money, withdraw cash, and make simple transactions.
These agents, he explained, are often the first point of trust for people taking their first step into digital finance.
Nwosu also pointed to PalmPay’s USSD service, *861#, which is helping people with basic phones or limited internet send money, pay bills, and save securely without the need for a smartphone.
PalmPay’s approach, he said, is shaped by listening closely to people’s behaviours, fears, and aspirations. This has led to services like affordable health insurance, automated savings tools that encourage financial discipline, and merchant solutions that help small businesses grow.
During the event, the panel session moderated by Ronke Kuye and featuring leaders from SANEF, SmartCash PSB, EFINA, and E-Doc Online also explored how community touchpoints, relatable services, and cultural understanding can unlock financial opportunity for women, rural dwellers, and low-income earners.
PalmPay’s message was clear, financial inclusion must feel human, familiar, and trustworthy.
Since launching in 2019, the platform has grown to more than 35 million users in Nigeria, expanding its reach to Ghana, Tanzania, and Bangladesh. But for PalmPay, Nwosu said, the real achievement lies not in numbers, but in the everyday people gaining control over their money, one simple transaction at a time.
