By Adedapo Adesanya
A digital payments company, DPO Group, has added a new form of payment that will allow merchants to get paid by their customers via a USSD code as it seeks to deepen its service acceptance in Nigeria.
This new feature allows merchants to receive payments from customers who don’t have access to mobile banking or a payment card.
Paired with DPO’s robust and scalable payment offering, USSD payments enable merchants to grow their customer base by accommodating as many payment methods as possible, getting paid from different shoppers across Africa.
DPO has developed integrated payments technology to support businesses of all sizes in over 20 countries and accepts payments securely and swiftly in all currencies and through many payment methods including virtual cards, mobile money, and e-wallets.
Speaking on this, DPO’s country manager in Nigeria, Mrs Chidinma Aroyewun, stated that, “As the shift to a cashless, digital economy becomes a reality, we want to make it easier for both the customer and merchant to carry out transactions. We are passionate about empowering our merchants with the tools they need to grow.”
DPO Group currently works with over 60,000 active merchants, including businesses in the eCommerce, travel, and leisure sectors. The company was founded in 2006 and since then it has grown to be a Pan-African PSP with more than 400 employees.
The addition of the new payment option will help to boost Nigeria’s USSD transactions. A total of 336.5 million USSD transactions were recorded in the first nine months of 2020 in Nigeria. In December 2020, the value of USSD transfer payments in Nigeria amounted to over N550 billion.
DPO Group was acquired by Network International in 2021 in a landmark deal for the African payments space. It continues to operate under the same brand in existing territories and launched a new comprehensive payment solution, DPO Pay for businesses across Africa and other territories.
Business Post had reported in January that following approval by the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN), DPO Group launched its service in the country with plans to bank on eCommerce and high levels of internet penetration to expand its reach on the continent.
