3 QR Code-based payment systems used in Africa

By Edlyn Cardoza

The world’s second-largest continent, Africa, has been witnessing high smartphone penetration since 2017. Ever since, the number of smartphone users has been soaring. This has resulted in industries from various African countries finding ways to engage with the tech-savvy population.

After the quick adoption of mobile payments in Africa, QR codes – a simple technology entered the payments sector, ensuring safe transactions for customers and merchants.

Scan to Pay is a popular method in Nigeria, allowing merchants to display a QR code that supports Visa and MasterPass through local QR codes. This means merchants can offer their customers to scan a QR code with their banking apps and pay directly from their bank accounts.

Below are 3 QR code-based payment systems in Africa:

• Nedbank App – South Africa

Scan to pay is a new feature in Nedbank’s Money app. Selecting Scan to pay from the pre-login screen will allow you to scan a QR code and use your Nedbank card(s) to pay at merchants (businesses) that present a QR code at their point of sale. Scan to pay can scan Masterpass, Pay@, SnapScan and Zapper QR codes at till points, online merchants, weekend market stalls, and on utility and restaurant bills.

Authorise every purchase using your Money app login details. Plus, no need to manually load your cards. All active Nedbank cards are pre-loaded for you. Keep earning Greenbacks or American Express Membership Rewards as you scan.

• SnapScan – South Africa

SnapScan is a mobile payments app providing South Africans with the most convenient way to pay with their phones. SnapScan is an easy, affordable and convenient way for merchants to accept payments and a safe, secure and seamless payment option for users. In 2013, SnapScan launched one of the first mobile payment apps in South Africa. By combining our ingenuity with Standard Bank’s financial infrastructure and expertise, SnapScan has been changing how South Africans pay and get paid – one snap at a time.

• Zapper – South Africa

Founded in 2014, Zapper, a South African FinTech company, is an independent mobile payments, insights, loyalty, and rewards platform. Using QR code and URL-based technology, Zapper provides consumers with fast, easy, and secure payments while they earn loyalty and discounts in a seamless, frictionless, integrated experience. Zapper has a suite of low-cost, deeply integrated payment and loyalty solutions for any industry.

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