L-r: Chika Reginald Nwosu, Managing Director, PalmPay; Tunde Ogundipe, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, E-Doc Online; Emezino Afigbe, Head, Gender Center for Excellence, Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access (EFInA); Ronke Kuye, CeBIH Advisory Council; Dr. Badamasi Lawal, CEO National Social Investment Program; Uche Uzoebo, Chief Executive Officer, Shared Agent Network Expansion Facilities (SANEF); Dominic Wadongo, Chief Risk Officer, SmartCash Payment Service Bank, Nigeria, at the CeBIH Annual Conference recently.
At the 2025 CeBIH Annual Conference, themed “Reimagining Financial Inclusion through Cultural Shifts in Consumer Credit,” PalmPay’s Managing Director, Chika Nwosu, called on industry stakeholders to deepen financial inclusion by developing solutions that align with local communities and cater to underserved populations.
Speaking on the panel “Social Inclusion, A Veritable Tool for Financial Inclusion,” Nwosu emphasized the need to empower women, rural residents, low-income earners, and other financially excluded groups. He highlighted PalmPay’s extensive 500,000-agent network, which facilitates cash-in and cash-out services for unbanked users nationwide. Nwosu also spotlighted PalmPay’s USSD platform, 861#, enabling users with basic phones or limited internet access to perform key financial transactions.
“Financial inclusion goes beyond access; it must be equitable and tailored to real-life needs,” Nwosu said. He shared how PalmPay uses behavioral insights to develop impactful services, including affordable health insurance, automated savings, merchant solutions, and reliable bill payment options that encourage financial discipline.
The discussion also underscored the role of grassroots agents and local community touchpoints in driving adoption. According to Nwosu, PalmPay’s presence in communities helps build trust, making digital financial tools more accessible to those who need them most. The panel was moderated by Ronke Kuye of the CeBIH Advisory Council and included representatives from E-Doc Online, SmartCash Payment Service Bank, SANEF, and EFINA.
Since its Nigerian launch in 2019, PalmPay has grown to over 35 million app users and expanded operations to Ghana, Tanzania, and Bangladesh. The platform offers mobile payments, savings, and micro-insurance via its app and agent network, positioning itself as a leading driver of financial inclusion and economic empowerment in underserved markets.
