Google Pay Launches In Nigeria

Google Pay has launched in Nigeria, allowing eligible Mastercard holders to add their cards to Google Wallet and make contactless payments at supported point-of-sale terminals using Android smartphones.

The launch was announced at the TechCabal Moonshot conference in Lagos, where Mastercard executives completed the first transaction during a live demonstration.

The service brings together Google, Mastercard and Interswitch, with each company playing a different role. Google provides the digital wallet, Mastercard supplies the tokenisation technology that replaces card details with a unique digital credential during transactions, while Interswitch connects Nigerian card issuers to the payment processing infrastructure.

“The collaboration pairs the convenience of mobile payments and the security of Mastercard’s tokenisation technology,” said Kari Tukur, country manager for West Africa at Mastercard.

“Google Wallet makes everyday transactions faster and safer,” said Olumide Balagon, country director for Google West Africa.

Akeem Lawal, managing director for payment, switching and processing at Interswitch, said the company had built “the infrastructure and capabilities that enable the next generation of digital payments.”

Four banks are participating in the initial rollout, with support varying by card type. FirstBank supports Mastercard debit cards, while Guaranty Trust Bank supports Mastercard debit and prepaid cards. Zenith Bank supports Mastercard credit, debit and prepaid cards. United Bank for Africa supports Mastercard credit, debit and prepaid cards, as well as Visa prepaid cards. UBA also announced its own in-store rollout on the same day.

Users need an Android smartphone equipped with near-field communication (NFC) to make contactless payments at compatible physical terminals.

The launch expands Google Pay’s presence in Nigeria beyond online checkout. Paystack has offered web-based Google Pay payments to Nigerian e-commerce merchants since September, while the latest rollout enables eligible users to pay in physical stores by tapping their phones at supported terminals.

However, the availability of the service does not guarantee acceptance at every retail outlet. Merchants need compatible contactless terminals and appropriately configured payment software to process transactions made through digital wallets.

Some point-of-sale devices may require software updates or upgrades to support tokenised mobile payments. Transactions may also be declined if banks’ fraud prevention systems do not recognise or permit the payment method.

As a result, consumers may still need to carry physical cards when shopping at outlets that have not upgraded their payment infrastructure.

Mastercard, Interswitch and the participating banks have not disclosed how many terminals in Nigeria currently meet the technical requirements or provided a timeline for upgrading incompatible devices.

The rollout comes as Nigeria’s digital payments market continues to expand. Data from the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System cited at the launch puts digital payment transactions at 11.2 billion in 2026, with a combined value exceeding ₦1.07 quadrillion.

Much of this growth has been driven by account-to-account transfers and mobile money rather than card payments at physical retail outlets. Google Pay’s in-store launch introduces another option for consumers who want to make payments using their smartphones.

The rollout’s reach will depend partly on whether more banks join the service and how quickly merchants upgrade their terminals. Interswitch’s role in connecting issuers to the tokenisation infrastructure will also influence the number of eligible cards that can be added to Google Wallet.

The companies have not disclosed expected transaction volumes, user enrolment targets or merchant coverage figures. Tracking contactless transactions separately from overall card payments would help establish whether the launch is translating into regular use rather than simply increasing the number of users with digital wallets.

Mastercard said the launch forms part of its continued support for the development of Nigeria’s payments ecosystem.