Nigeria Graduate Creates a Mobile Method Of Payment

A Covenant University graduate has devised a contact-free system that lets any smartphone act as a payment terminal, allowing merchants to accept card or QR-code payments without extra hardware.

The creator, Sola-Aremu Oluwaferanmi, announced the project on Monday, explaining that the idea grew out of watching students and vendors struggle with cash, long queues and the constant worry of theft. “Campus vendors rely heavily on cash, which slows transactions and increases the risk of loss,” he said.

With his app installed, a seller simply taps a customer’s debit card on the phone—or displays a QR code for the buyer to scan—turning the handset itself into a point-of-sale device. Early trials across several kiosks at Covenant University have drawn positive feedback from both students and merchants, who report faster check-outs and fewer cash-handling hassles.

Oluwaferanmi’s next step is to roll the platform out to universities nationwide and partner with banks to accelerate adoption. The startup is also exploring integrations with fintech firms to add sales analytics, transaction histories and merchant-loyalty rewards.

“Our goal is to simplify digital payments for small businesses and student-run enterprises using devices they already own,” Oluwaferanmi said, urging public- and private-sector players to support home-grown innovations that advance Nigeria’s cash-lite economy.

By bringing tap-to-pay convenience to everyday smartphones, the project adds fresh momentum to the country’s broader push for financial inclusion and digital transformation—starting on campus and aiming far beyond.