PayU GPO, an online payment service provider, has launched Account-to-Account (A2A) payments in Nigeria and appointed Ryan Engel as the new Country Manager for South Africa.
Ryan, with expertise in payments and digital transformation, will oversee the development of local strategies, establish partnerships, and enhance PayU GPO’s presence in the region.
“I’m excited to be joining PayU GPO at such a transformative moment for payments in South Africa and across the continent. Consumers and merchants alike are seeking innovative, efficient ways to transact. PayU GPO is perfectly positioned to deliver on that demand, and I look forward to helping shape the future of digital payments in the region.”
This investment is in line with PayU GPO’s overarching plan to modernize the continent’s payment infrastructure and promote financial inclusion while adapting to the quickly changing preferences of its customers. The expansion comes at a time when alternative payment methods are on the rise across the region.
“Our focus on A2A payments and mobile-first methods is critical to our strategy in Africa,” said Imraan Appleby, Africa Head of Product at PayU GPO. Customers are clearly signaling a demand for faster, simpler ways to pay. Merchants, in turn, need solutions that meet customers where they are.”
This drive for growth mirrors Africa’s continued industry collaboration, which is enacting positive change across the continent. In South Africa, the Reserve Bank is revising the National Payment System Act to foster inclusion. For the first time in its history, it has created a Payment Ecosystem Modernization Program (PEM), hosting collaborative sessions with banks and non-banks to drive the changes that the act puts forward.
PEM has numerous workstreams all aimed at driving competition, innovation, financial inclusion and addressing fraud and risk in an open, interoperable system. QR standardization, DFID (Digital Financial Identity), and Payshap are among the programs being driven forward by industry collaboration under the PEM.
As a further display of commitment to the region, PayU GPO received PCI DSS v4.0.1 Attestation of Compliance (AoC) for both South Africa and Nigeria. This certification requires implementing comprehensive security controls specifically tailored to regional requirements and showcases PayU GPO’s dedication to being a reliable, secure and enduring participant in Africa’s financial ecosystem.
