Nigerian card payment provider, Verve International, launched its in-app payments solution and made the software development kit (SDK) available to app developers to support local developers eager to bring their apps to market and capitalise them, with the market currently hindered by lack of in-app payment options, according to Charles Ifedi, chief executive officer (CEO) of Verve International.
In an interview with HumanIPO, Ifedi said there are a multitude of opportunities for mobile app developers to capitalise on a fast growing affluent middle class and fast growth in smartphone use in Nigeria, resulting in an increase in app developers.
“As a result [of an expanding middle class and growth of smartphone uptake] we have seen an increasing number of mobile app developers seeking to enter the market, many of which are indigenous,” Ifedi told HumanIPO.
“However many have struggled to generate revenue from their apps as the options available are either too expensive to engage or too cumbersome to integrate. As a result, the growth in this sector has been greatly curtailed and hampered,” Ifedi said.
Ifedi said Verve International operates a broad initiative looking to form partnerships with stakeholders in the technology sector to support indigenous software developer communities and develop skills; and in particular, seeking to help developers monetise their work.
“Verve seeks to support young and growing software entrepreneurs by enabling them generate revenue from their mobile apps,” said the CEO.
“Verve also now provides retailers with the opportunity to accept in-app payments which is convenient for customers and increases the revenue stream to retailers and developers,” he said.
Within the first two weeks of the launch of the Verve Payment software development kit (SDK), over 50 registration requests were received and there were over 1,000 downloads on the Windows platform.
“We are expecting this to dramatically increase as we launch across other platforms,” he said.
Part of Verve’s efforts to support developers involves partnerships with entities such as Microsoft, Nokia and MoMo; together with which Verve recently hosted the “DevCon Alpha Challenge” for app developers.
Ifedi said Verve is currently following up with the winners of the challenge, helping them to update their apps and fully launch in the market.
“We would also be on the ground to support them turn these into sustainable businesses that are relevant to the Nigerian customer,” Ifedi said.
