The Middle East and Africa (MEA) has emerged as a region that is no stranger to innovation. With consumers being at the heart of a lot of startups, a new partnership between Yabx, the sustainable financial inclusion fintech, and PayCliq, the business payment tool provider, is looking to accelerate merchant credit capabilities.
The partnership will see Yabx leverage the business data from PayCliq and use AI/ML algorithms on its cloud-powered digital lending platform. In doing so, it will build credit scores and personalised credit limits for each business which will not only solve the problem of credit but also the problem of payments.
Consequently, this means that businesses can get an instant line of credit in their operating accounts and pay for it in 30, 60 or 90-day installments.
Why now?
The collaboration comes at a crucial time for Nigeria, which is actively promoting a cashless economy, focusing on streamlined transactions and simplified auditing processes. In a market where over $19 trillion is transacted annually in cash payments, the opportunity to digitise these payments is substantial.
Furthermore, with approximately 100 million MSMEs in Africa and 42 million in Nigeria alone, consumer payments on the continent are projected to exceed $2.1trillion by 2025. PayCliq, a business tool specifically designed for businesses across Africa, is set to facilitate seamless payments for merchants, promoting financial inclusion and supporting Nigeria’s cashless policy and business accountability.
AI scoring partner, Yabx is poised to speed up the uptake of digital payments by building a lending infrastructure for small businesses. MSMEs often find it difficult to secure formal loans as they encounter challenges with providing proper identity documents, collateral, or a credit history. However, with the understanding that adopting digital payments can help them build a credit score becomes a compelling reason for them to embrace this opportunity.
Ensuring a cashless society prospers
PayCliq, with operations spread throughout Nigeria and Lagos as its main hub, through its array of partnerships specialises in bookkeeping, inventory management, invoicing and facilitating payments for businesses through various channels, including Bank Transfers, QR codes, apps, and card transactions on Point of Sale (PoS) terminals.
While the push for a cashless economy is evident, challenges persist, such as, the late supply of goods due to manufacturers and suppliers want money upfront and the inability to meet growing demand as many businesses’ stock is impacted by the current exchange rate. Yabx and PayCliq are strategically positioned to address these issues by providing innovative and inclusive credit and business solutions.
The new service is anticipated to go live within Q2, enabling businesses to make more sales as well as providing comprehensive and inclusive payment solutions to address the unique needs of the Nigerian market.
The Businesses Cash Advance service, which provides funds directly into the businesses account and assists in the settlement process, is expected to be a game-changer for approximately 10,000 businesses, by increasing profitability within the extensive customer base. Processing around one million dollars in settlements daily, PayCliq and Yabx are committed to enhancing financial inclusion and accelerate the growth of small businesses in Nigeria.
Supporting Nigeria’s growth
Puneet Chopra, chief growth officer at Yabx, said: “We’re thrilled to partner with PayCliq, combining our AI-driven credit scoring expertise with their robust payments infrastructure to transform the financial landscape in Nigeria. By streamlining repayments and unlocking transactional data, we’re committed to creating seamless, fully automated lending journeys that empower local businesses and consumers.
“Now is the ideal time to harness the potential of technology and collaboration to build stronger, more agile systems that support Nigeria’s growth in consumerism.”
Susan Adewunmi (head of operations) at PayCliq, said: “PayCliq is excited to collaborate with Yabx in providing innovative solutions to address the challenges faced by businesses in Nigeria. Additionally, by providing direct funds to the businesses and assisting in the settlement process, we are addressing the challenges faced by our target audience – the 42 million businesses in Nigeria, predominantly consisting of mom-and-pop shops and SMEs.”
