Unified Payments turns 26, pledges seamless services

Unified Payment Services Limited, Nigeria’s premier financial technology service provider, has kicked off celebrations to mark its 26th anniversary with a promise to continue to provide seamless payment solutions to its numerous customers.

Established in 1997, Unified Payments (UP) has consistently demonstrated a commitment to innovation, excellence, growth and customer satisfaction throughout its remarkable journey.

Over the past 26 years, Unified Payments has transformed the landscape of the payment industry by providing cutting-edge solutions that empower businesses and individuals to transact seamlessly, securely and conveniently. With a strong emphasis on technology, user experience and reliability, the firm has earned a reputation as a trailblazer in the Fintech and payment space.

A statement signed by the Managing Director, Dr. Agada Apochi, yesterday, said the company has made significant progress by setting the records for many firsts in the e-payment sector.

According to him, among many firsts, Unified Payments pioneered the issuance and acceptance of EMV Chip+PIN cards in Nigeria, which led a reduction of card fraud in Nigeria by over 95 per cent, enabled Nigerian banks to issue first-ever payment cards to naira account holders for use globally and introduced the first-ever acceptance of foreign cards at ATMs, a joint acquiring company for Nigerian banks.

He added that the company was also the first EMV third party processor in Nigeria, first processor in Sub-Saharan Africa to process payment or withdrawal with just phone number, first Nigerian principal member of a global payment scheme.

Apochi added: “Unified Payment also pioneered multi-bank mobile application and USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) and the use of telephone numbers as digital account numbers.

“At Unified Payments, we are very proud of what we have built; thanks to our esteemed customers and the dedicated staff at UP.

“Our journey over the past 26 years has been a testament to the grit, dedication and vision of our entire team. We are not resting on our oars. Our resolve to continue to drive innovation, simplified payments solutions and delivering unparalleled value to our customers remains unwavering.

“Our strategy has been defined by cross-enterprise alliances, working with different stakeholders including our competitors to create a bigger market thereby increasing the opportunities for different stakeholders. We remain committed to our customers’ needs and adapting to the market demands to ensure Nigerians continue to enjoy seamless payment solutions using our platforms.”

Unified Payments has consistently led the way in leveraging technology to provide secure, seamless and efficient payment experiences. With a diverse range of offerings, including Acquiring, Issuer Processing, Acquirer Processing, Payment Terminal Service Provider (PTSP), Switching, Interbank Transfer Services, Settlement Services, Agency Banking, Online Payment Gateways, Card Services, Value Added Services (VAS) and Solutions, Verification Services, Pay with Just Phone Number Services, Bespoke Services, etc., UP is dedicated to continuously shape the future of payments.

The firm is a group of companies with services including Financial Technology, Payment Scheme, Banking, Digital Commerce, Value Added Service, Payment Solutions and Software Solutions.