In an announcement on Wednesday, Google revealed that Nigerians can now make payments on its Play Store using their local currency, the naira.
This development comes as a result of a partnership with Verve, the largest domestic card scheme in Africa, aiming to enhance the accessibility and ease of digital transactions on the Google Play Store for Nigerian users.
Effective immediately, Nigerians can utilize their Verve cards to make purchases on the Google Play Store, bolstering the digital ecosystem in the country. This is particularly advantageous during a time when local banks are facing challenges in meeting forex demands for international payments, as the new option provides relief to Nigerians who frequently buy apps from the Google Store.
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Under this collaboration, Google will process Verve transactions exclusively within Nigeria. These transactions will be conducted in Nigerian Naira (NG) and will be treated as local transactions by the country’s banking institutions.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with Verve, expanding Google Play access for more Nigerians. The introduction of local payments with Verve cards is a significant milestone, enabling more Nigerians to participate in the app economy and access the apps they need,” Anthea Crawford, Head of Retail and Payment Partnerships at Google Play, said.
Based on this collaboration, any Nigerian with an Android device and a Verve card now has a streamlined method for making purchases on the Google Play Store.
Vincent Ogbunude, the Managing Director of Verve International, said that the integration with Google Play marks a major step forward in Verve’s vision to promote financial inclusion.
“We are excited to bring digital content and services closer to Verve cardholders, hence bridging the digital divide. As a foremost payment card scheme in Nigeria, Verve’s expanding acceptance promotes inclusion by extending the reach of digital services to a larger segment of the Nigerian population. Maximizing this exciting possibility, users can now add their Verve Cards to their Google Play Account and pay in Naira, without stress,” he said.
Additionally, he noted that the new partnership streamlines the payment process for Google Play Store apps and services, making it much more convenient, and plays a significant role in fostering a more inclusive digital landscape for Nigerians.
Nigerians have struggled to keep up with international transactions due to the country’s forex crisis that has forced banks to suspend international POS services. This follows monetary policies by the central bank aimed at tightening FX-based services, before the recent deregulation of the FX market.
Allowing naira debit cards means that Nigerian consumers on Google Play Store do not have to worry about future policies aimed at regulating the outflow of foreign currencies.