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Akpabio seeks protection for electronic payment platform

By BusinessNews Staff on November 19, 2013

Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State has advocated measures to protect electronic payment platforms from the activities of fraudsters.

He made this call in a keynote address delivered at the third annual conference of the Committee of E-Banking Industry Heads held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom.

The theme of the conference was, ‘E-payment System: Harnessing Opportunities for Growth and Profitability,” and it was attended by local and international e-payment experts.

A statement by CeBIH quoted Akpabio, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Valerie Ebe, as noting that the American Federal Bureau of Statistics refers to ‘419’ as the ‘Nigerian crime,’ and profiles it as scam emails emanating mostly from Nigeria.

This profiling, the governor said, “has greatly affected and dented our image,” and hence, had become an urgent issue of concern to all Nigerians.

“Since these scam artists use electronic payment platforms to defraud their victims, I urge you to think of a way to stop this and salvage our image as a nation. I urge you to do this as a patriotic duty,” the statement further quoted Akpabio as telling the electronic payment experts.

Akpabio said, “The introduction of the cash-less policy in Nigeria is already a treat boom and has eased transactions for our countrymen. The chairman of CeBIH and his team have done a difficult job pretty well. They have ensured that the banking industry in Nigeria adopted best global practices in terms of techniques and reforms. We appreciate and commend them.”

According to the statement, the governor noted that despite the huge advantages offered by e-payment, Nigerians have yet to realise and explore the full benefits of the technological advancement in the banking industry.

Consequently, he tasked the conference, “to explore the best avenues of ensuring that Nigerians take full benefits of numerous opportunities that e-payment system offers to enhance their mode of transactions.”

The Chairman of CeBIH, Mr. Chuks Iku, said the focus of the conference was to look at how the payment systems industry could experience growth in user-base by way of introducing elements like mobile money and agent banking, while remaining profitable in the medium and long terms.

While expressing appreciation to Akwa Ibom State for hosting the conference, Iku said, “We are aware of the great job you are doing in Akwa Ibom State. More importantly, we know that you are one of the biggest champions of the cash-less initiative and the drive to provide financial inclusion to the millions of unbanked Nigerians.

“Akwa Ibom has a digitised library and currently automates its salary payments and carries out successful biometric capture of its citizens. We give you the assurance as a group that we are collectively working to make life easier, convenient and more secure for all Nigerians by implementing various secure electronic payment channels in our different banks, in the interest of the citizens of our great nation, Nigeria.”

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