GIG Mobility (GIGM, formerly GIG Motors), a Nigeria-based transport company has released electronic wallet and bill payment features on its app this week as part of its effort to broaden its offerings beyond road mobility.
According to GIGM, the new functionalities allow its more than 600,000 members to
“fund their e-wallet and pay bills in a matter of seconds.” Users will be able to pay for airtime, electricity bills, cable TV, and internet data using the app, which is now only available in Nigeria.
“Mobility is more versatile than it is generally perceived to be. It is the ability to be moved or move freely and easily. The freedom associated with mobility is the experience we are making available to customers,”
says Jude Odum, GIGM’s Chief Operating Officer.
There are plans to deploy the service in additional African countries over the next few years, such as Ghana, where GIGM extended to two years ago.
According to Odum, the service was tested for about four months which involved the processing of “thousands of transactions valued at millions of naira”.
GIGM will be competing in a field where a slew of fintech apps already exist with the launch of the e-wallet and payments functionality. But, based on its reputation as a leading mobility brand, Odum is optimistic about the company’s prospects, predicting that its app user base will reach one million by the first half of next year.
“Credibility is a very critical factor for making buying decisions…Customers would rather choose to deal with reliable brands over popular ones. We may not be popular in the fintech space just yet [but] we are optimistic that our user base will grow rapidly in the coming months,”says Odum.
In the long run, GIGM hopes that its app will serve as a one-stop-shop for its consumers, utilizing its technological capabilities. A multipurpose app such as this will eliminate the need for many apps to complete daily chores.
“The COVID-19 pandemic gave insights to the unimaginable capabilities of technology and its application. As all aspects of life become digitised, Nigerians now have more reasons and opportunities to connect with the GIGM brand, beyond transportation,”
says Kenneth Nwanganga, GIGM’s Chief Technology Officer.
Featured Image Source: Businessday NGGot a suggestion? Contact us: editor@connectnigeria.com