By Chioma Obinagwam
Google has partnered with Verve International to make digital transactions on Google Play Store easier for Nigerians.
Under the new partnership, Nigerians can now pay for products in Nigeria’s currency, Naira as opposed to erstwhile policy which allows payment and purchases only in US dollars (USD).
Confiance News learns on Wednesday.
Formerly known as Andriod Market, Google Play is an online store for purchasing and downloading apps, music, books, movies and similar content for use on Android-powered smartphones, tablets, Google TV and similar devices.
Verve International, Wikipedia explains, is a Nigerian Pan-African and multinational financial technology and payment card brand owned by Interswitch Group.
Reacting to the development, Verve International said on its official Twitter handle: “We’ve got something special for our Verve Card holders! You can now pay easily in Naira for all your Google Play subscriptions and Google Storage with your Verve Card. Awesome right?”
Reacting Head of Retail and Payment Partnerships, Google Play, Anthea Crawford, said, “We are thrilled to collaborate with Verve, expanding Google Play access for more Nigerians. The introduction of local payments with Verve cards is a significant milestone, enabling more Nigerians to participate in the app economy and access the apps they need.”
Corroborating, Interswitch, the parent company of Verve card stated on its Official Twitter handle,” Enabled by our partnership, @Google will now process @VerveCard transactions within #Nigeria, in Naira, and treated as local transactions by the country’s banking institutions.”
The Managing Director, Payment cards and Tokens at Interswitch, Vincent Ogbunude, added that the partnership with Google is part of its commitment towards promoting financial inclusion and bridging the digital divide.
