PalmPay has introduced a new feature that allows users to request AfriGO cards directly from its mobile application, making access to Nigeria’s national domestic payment card faster and more convenient. With this integration, customers can now apply for AfriGO cards within the PalmPay app, eliminating the need for separate physical or offline application processes.
In a statement released on Sunday and shared with The PUNCH, the company explained that the new feature expands access to card-based payment services by embedding the request process into a digital wallet platform already widely used by millions of Nigerians for transfers, bill payments, airtime purchases, and everyday financial transactions. By integrating AfriGO card requests into its ecosystem, PalmPay is simplifying the process of accessing domestic payment cards while strengthening the role of digital wallets in daily financial activities.
AfriGO is Nigeria’s national domestic card scheme, established by the Central Bank of Nigeria in partnership with the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System. The initiative was created to support the country’s push toward a more inclusive, efficient, and affordable payment system. Its goals include deepening financial inclusion, lowering transaction costs, improving payment efficiency, and accelerating Nigeria’s transition to a fully digital economy.
According to the statement, PalmPay’s integration of AfriGO card requests also strengthens the card scheme’s distribution network by combining digital access with physical support structures. Beyond in-app requests, users can still visit PalmPay customer experience centres across the country or engage any of the company’s more than 500,000 agents nationwide for assistance in completing their applications. This hybrid approach ensures that both digitally savvy users and those who prefer face-to-face support can easily access AfriGO services.
Speaking on the development, AfriGO’s Managing Director, Ebehijie Momoh, said the partnership with PalmPay aligns with the scheme’s long-term vision of building a payment ecosystem designed specifically around Nigeria’s local realities and needs. He explained that expanding access points through widely used platforms like PalmPay helps reduce entry barriers and encourages broader participation in the formal financial system.
He noted that AfriGO was created as a strategic national initiative to strengthen Nigeria’s payment infrastructure and ensure that more citizens can benefit from secure, efficient, and locally driven financial services. By making AfriGO cards available through the PalmPay app, he said, more Nigerians would be able to participate meaningfully in the country’s growing digital economy.
PalmPay’s Managing Director, Chika Nwosu, also highlighted the importance of the new feature, pointing out that many Nigerians still face challenges in accessing reliable and affordable card services. According to him, embedding AfriGO card requests directly into the PalmPay app is a step toward making everyday banking more accessible, seamless, and user-friendly.
He explained that the integration not only simplifies access to payment cards but also builds user confidence in digital payments by offering a trusted domestic option that works across Nigeria’s payment ecosystem. By enabling users to request AfriGO cards from within an app they already use for daily transactions, PalmPay is helping to remove friction from the financial system and improve the overall user experience.
The partnership between PalmPay and AfriGO represents a broader shift toward locally driven financial solutions that prioritize accessibility, affordability, and inclusion. As digital wallets continue to grow in popularity across Nigeria, integrating essential services such as card requests into these platforms is expected to play a key role in driving adoption and usage.
Ultimately, the in-app AfriGO card request feature reflects a shared commitment by both organisations to strengthen Nigeria’s digital financial infrastructure. By combining technology, wide distribution networks, and national payment initiatives, the collaboration aims to create a more inclusive payment ecosystem where more Nigerians can easily access modern financial services and participate fully in the digital economy.
