Stellar, a cryptocurrency non-profit corporation, and Oradian, a fintech firm providing core-banking software in West Africa, have launched a low-cost live payment transfer network among microfinance organizations in Nigeria.
Through the integration of its banking software with Stellar’s network, Oradian has made low-cost payments available to a microfinance network with 200 branches and over 300,000 end users, mostly women in Nigeria’s rural areas (Women are apparently 90% of the network‘s end-using customers).
Like many countries in West Africa, remitting money in Nigeria is complicated and particularly punishing for the poor. A majority of country’s population is underbanked or unbanked.
By integrating the Stellar network, Oradian is enabling its client microfinance institutions (MFI) to transfer money between their branches seamlessly. In addition, customers of MFIs who are mainly based in rural areas can send money to other MFI customers in distant villages or cities by visiting their local MFI.
Antonio Separovic, Managing Director at Oradian, noted:
We are delighted to be working with Stellar, as this supports our ambition to empower the delivery of financial services to the underserved. With Stellar’s technology, we change the way money is being handled and transferred across geographies, in a secure, instant and cheap manner. This new disruptive service further proves that Oradian’s core-banking system is the leader in bringing new services to the underserved at scale.
Joyce Kim, Executive Director of Stellar.org, said:
We’re beyond excited to be working with Oradian to launch the first live transfer network in Nigeria. With the Oradian integration, communities that primarily relied upon cash for money transfer in and out of their villages can now transfer money instantly and safely, regardless of their location. This is the first step towards creating a universal payment network for the unbanked, and brings us closer to fulfilling Stellar.org’s mission of using a universal platform to bring financial services to all.
