The Lagos State Government wants CBN and other stakeholders in the mobile money ecosystem to take firmer security measures that will boost uptake of the cashless service in Nigeria.
Mr Steve Ayorinde, Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, who made the call says Central Bank of Nigeria, the nation’s apex bank and other relevant stakeholders to take firmer security measure to boost uptake.
Lagos State Government has been at the forefront of promoting ICT-based innovations in governance.
Ayorinde who reckons that most Nigerian online shoppers prefer cash on delivery to online payments method, believes that the trend can be reversed if proper security measures are put in place for mobile money, mobile payments and other cashless options.
This was one of the key takeaways when the Commissioner delivered the keynote address at the 4th annual Brands and Marketing Conference 2016 held Friday in Lagos
Ayorinde, who was represented by Toro Oladapo, Director, Press and Public Affairs, Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy, appealed to the Central Bank of Nigeria and other relevant stakeholders in the sector to increase the confidence of the Nigerian populace in mobile banking by “developing better strategies for a more secure mobile payment system in the country.”
According to him “This will help to enhance the confidence of the Nigerian populace in the system.”
Commenting on promoting technology-driven initiatives which include the mobile money system in the country, the Commissioner says that the “Lagos State Government has been at the forefront of promoting ICT-based innovations in governance.
According to him “The Lagos State Government has continued to adopt the necessary strategic electronic solutions for prompt and effective public service delivery in order to make government services more accessible and seamlessly delivered to the populace. Presently in Lagos State, all payment accrued to government through sources such as taxes, levies, dues and fees are largely electronically done.
“This, to a large extent, has really helped in our revenue generation gathering”, Ayorinde says while adding that “Lagos State Government will continue to effect and deploy information technology infrastructure to meet the challenges and expectations of the citizenry as we are determined to sustain our legendary tradition of quality service delivery.”
Oladapo who later spoke to Technology Times on the sidelines of the event stated that low level of financial inclusion among the unbanked across rural and underserved areas in Nigeria is a major challenge to mobile business transactions in Nigeria.
According to her, “this challenge is not peculiar to Lagos State alone. The functionality of the telecommunication system is not the responsibility of the State Government. We have those who are charged with that responsibility and it is a major challenge to mobile business transactions.”
“If all these challenges are addressed, I believe that we will have a safer and secured environment and mobile transaction will be better for everybody. Lagos State, being the Centre of Excellence is usually proactive to any policy either federal or from any state government, as long as it will engender that confidence in the public” she adds.
Noting that Lagos State is promoting cashless society, she says that “Lagos state do online monthly remission to banks, the standards practices that have been introduced in accounting system are also being ensured and then, regularly, we monitor online and support many of the things that are supposed to be done.”
She called on private players in the industry to collaborate with the Lagos State Government to drive ICT innovations among others in the state. “Lagos state has not arrogated to itself that it has the wherewithal to do everything and so, we promote public private sector partnership, not only in the area of mobile money transaction but generally speaking.
“The State Government has a well established Private Public Partnership (PPP) representation and PPP operation so we are not completely on our own and we know that even this cannot be done except we team up and the legal framework is regularly being provided by the state government in order to strengthen PPP operation in the state.
“If you look at the way Lagos State operates generally, you will see that it has a well-established structure to encourage private sector to come and play this game with the state government in all area of human endeavour”, she tells.
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