A new Mastercard payments index has shown that 96 per cent of Nigerian consumers are open to emerging payment methods, including cryptocurrencies.

In a research carried out on Nigerian consumers, the company found that an increasing number of consumers in Nigeria are considering emerging payment methods such as wearables, biometrics, digital wallets and currencies, and QR code, in addition to contactless.

The Chief Product Officer at Mastercard, Craig Vosburg, said, “The pandemic made us think differently, partly out of necessity. To deliver the choice and flexibility that consumers need – and increasingly expect – retailers worldwide need to offer a range of payment solutions that are easy to access and always on.

“As we look ahead, we need to continue to enable all choices, both in-store and online, to shape the fabric of commerce and make the digital economy work for everyone.”

According to the Mastercard New Payments Index, 86 per cent of Nigerian consumers have access to more ways to pay compared to this time last year; 78 per cent of consumers in Nigeria say digital payments methods help them save money; 81 per cent say they are more loyal to retailers who offer multiple payment options and would shop at small businesses if offered more diverse ways to pay.

The Division President, Mastercard, Sub-Saharan Africa, Raghav Prasad, said, “The world as we now know it has changed dramatically since the outbreak of the pandemic, accelerating long-term shifts in consumers’ transaction and payment methods.

“We continue to work with our merchants, fintechs, and banking partners to rapidly innovate payment options that meet consumer needs while ensuring we drive financial and digital inclusion.”

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During the lockdown in 2020, consumers adopted new spending habits to adjust to the reality of the time. Tap-and-go payments and online shopping became the new normal. This opened new opportunities for digital currencies and payment options.

As more people trade cryptocurrency, it is becoming an asset for everyday purchases. Mastercard discovered that 65 per cent of Nigerians are planning to adopt crypto, with 76 per cent noting that they are more open to using it than they were a year ago.

The research also found out that 45 per cent of Nigerian consumers plan to use biometric verification methods; 54 per cent of Nigerian consumers are open to using payment technologies such as QR codes; 73 per cent of Nigerian consumers are likely to use digital wallets next year.