Jumia Nigeria has stressed the need for rural dwellers to embrace electronic payment systems for their online transactions.
This, according to the e-Commerce firm would provide ease and safety of all financial transactions within the rural communities.
Public Relations Associate at Jumia Travel and Food, Mr. Ogunfowoke Adeniyi Ayuba, said in a statement, that the economy of Nigeria’s rural communities was still cash-based due to no fault of anyone.
According to him, “There are still some rural communities in this country that still transact business using the trade by barter method. A recent report by the News Agency of Nigeria says the Esuk Mba community market in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River is still practicing trade by barter as a means of exchange for food items since it was established in 1956.”
This he said, simply revealed that there was still so much work to be done to ensure that the inhabitants of rural Nigeria embrace digital payments method.
He, however, said this would not mean that efforts were not being made to promote digital payments, but stressed the need for rural communities across Nigeria to embrace electronic transactions in today’s digital age.
Citing efforts made by Financial Technology (FinTech) players to take digital payment system to rural communities, Ayuba said today some fintech companies have gone ahead to establish small kiosk in rural communities in order to boost financial inclusion.
“This kiosk has made it possible for people to receive and transfer money for a small fee and perform other e-transactions.
“When it comes to shopping online, rural dwellers still prefer to pay with cash. However, with the incentives and topnotch security offered by Jumia Pay, the payment gateway of Jumia, rural shoppers are growing confident about making payment online. This, in one way or the other, is contributing to the need to ensure that the entire Nigeria economy becomes cashless,” Ayuba said.
Addressing the lower risk associated with digital transactions in rural communities, Ayuba said: “If stolen, it is easy to block a debit card or mobile wallet remotely, but it’s impossible to get your cash back. In that sense, the digital option offers lots more security. “There is no reason for people to carry millions of naira around when there is a pocket or wallet size card which they can use to transact business at any time of the day.”
He added that with smartphone prices dropping according to the Nigeria Mobile Report published by Jumia recently, more people in the rural areas would be able to afford mobile devices for digital transactions.
In the area of convenience in transactions digitally, Ayuba stressed that the ease of conducting financial transactions had become the biggest motivator to go digital.
“You will no longer need to carry wads of cash, plastic cards, or even queue up for Automated Teller Machine (ATM) withdrawals. It’s also a safer and easier spending option when you are travelling, and it will be useful in case of emergencies,” Ayuba further stressed.
Aside convenience and safety of use, the digital transaction comes with lots of discounts and rewards for performing digital transactions, using any electronic payment system, Ayuba added.
