One of Nigeria’s fastest fintech companies, Payaza has announced a partnership with Lebara Nigeria.
The deal, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in Lagos on Saturday, will see Payaza provide the payment infrastructure and technology
The initiative is set to expand Lebara Nigeria’s offering beyond traditional telecommunications and connectivity, while providing subscribers with additional services through a single, integrated platform.
Beyond Connectivity
Speaking at the signing, Yinka Isioye, who is Director of Consumer Business at Lebara Nigeria, said the partnership was designed to build a sustainable digital ecosystem that goes beyond traditional telecoms services.
“Today is not just about signing a document. It’s about witnessing the start of a strategic relationship and partnership with Payaza. Two companies, Lebara and Payaza, we both share the same vision, and it’s why we’re here today.
“That vision is for us to work hand in hand together to sort of empower lives, empower people, and build a digitally connected ecosystem that thrives and is sustainable,” Yinka said.
He said the partnership reflects the changing role of technology in consumers’ everyday lives, where connectivity is increasingly integrated with payments and other digital services.
“If you look at the telecom space in Nigeria, it’s been a long time coming. The world is moving just beyond connectivity, the ability to make phone calls, the ability to browse on your phone. And technology is now becoming quite integrated into lifestyle.
“You’re going to agree with me that we’re almost unable to do anything these days if those things are not connected. So for us, payment and connectivity go hand in hand and we believe this partnership will further drive our ambitions,” he added.
Yinka further stated that the company’s goal was to move beyond providing connectivity to supporting customers’ wider digital lifestyles.
“Connectivity is now a given. And we will give you connectivity or we’ll go beyond connectivity to enable your digital lifestyle and ecosystem,” he added.
Payaza Highlights Payment Innovation
For Payaza’s Country Manager for Nigeria, Taiwo Adeeko, the partnership demonstrates how existing financial infrastructure can be enhanced through technology and collaboration.
“When you’re using Lebara, you’re not worried about you walking into a bank to pay. You can easily pay on the platform, either using your card or other alternative payment methods. That is innovation,” Adeeko said.
He added that security and reliability would be central to the payment experience, noting that customers should be able to make transactions while having confidence that their information and payments are protected.
According to the country manager, the focus will be on sustaining innovation while ensuring stability within the ecosystem to prevent bad actors from exploiting the system.
Bridging Africa’s Digital Payments Gap
Similarly, Payaza’s Chief Technology Officer, Philips Akinyele, said the partnership could also help address some of the complexities associated with delivering seamless digital experiences across Africa.
“If you look at Africa as a whole, 54 countries, 54 currencies. And now someone asked, why can’t we consolidate currencies. Someone said, why is that a problem? In terms of what is missing is how we can actually seamlessly deliver experiences across the African continent,” Akinyele said.
He said Lebara could play a significant role in reducing some of those complexities, while Payaza would support the payment experience required to make such services work seamlessly.
“That’s where Payaza also comes in, in delivering the payment experience that also supports the same level of experience,” he said.
Akinyele described Lebara’s expansion into Africa, with Nigeria as its starting point, as significant, saying the company could appeal to digital consumers and global travellers through its range of offerings.
“Lebara has done some very important work in the last few years. And if you see the way they’ve expanded across the globe, now coming to Africa, I think it is a significant play and choosing Nigeria as the starting point, I can promise you, I think it’s going to be a significant breakthrough,” he added.
Customer-Centric Approach
Also speaking on the partnership, Fawaz Abaniwonda, who is Executive Advisor, Innovation and Research at Payaza, said the agreement would allow the company to translate its customer-focused approach into services designed to improve everyday experiences.
“At Payaza, customer obsession shapes every decision we make. Our partnership with Lebara Nigeria gives us an opportunity to translate that commitment into services that improve the everyday experience of millions of Nigerians,” Abaniwonda said.
He described Lebara’s decision to select Payaza, as it begins operations in Nigeria as “a significant vote of confidence” in the company’s infrastructure, people and ability to support global brands.
Abaniwonda also noted that its infrastructure would serve as the payment and technology backbone of the new platform, reinforcing its role beyond payment processing to providing the technology infrastructure.
For Lebara Nigeria, the collaboration with Payaza fits into the ‘Telco Trinity’ philosophy of delivering dependable, affordable, and bespoke services.
“Nigeria stands at a defining moment where millions require more inclusive and globally connected digital access,” said Teniola Stuffman, Chief Executive Officer of Lebara Nigeria.
“Our partnership with Payaza aligns perfectly with our ‘Telco Trinity’ philosophy of delivering reliable, affordable, and customer-centric services. By leveraging Payaza’s secure financial infrastructure, we are transforming connectivity into a true gateway for digital and financial empowerment.”
