Today, Nigeria is regarded as one of Africa’s most promising frontiers for eCommerce, a sentiment that has been reinforced by the adoption of several safe platforms for consumers to use to pay online.
However, whether you’re new to online shopping in Nigeria or are shopping from afar, it’s important to make sure you know how to pay online in Nigeria, safely. The Yuletide is at hand and you will be doing a lot of shopping. Good thing, we have you covered with these important safety tips for paying online while shopping in Nigeria.
Do Your Research
If you’re shopping on a website you’re unfamiliar with, do some digging online to check their reviews for any negative feedback you should be worried about. One or two complaints are common, but pay special attention to any that resulted in payment information or money being stolen. If the website you’re using has independent sellers, you can check their reviews using sites like TrustPilot.
Look For The Lock
Once you’ve confirmed that the website or independent seller you’re using is legitimate, check that their website is secure before entering your card details. Look for a padlock in the address bar. The website address for the payment page should also read “https://” rather than “http://”.
If a website’s address has a padlock and HTTPS, it’s certified as secure and your information will be encrypted (hidden amidst code that only authorised parties can view). This website should also use accredited, secure payment systems like Flutterwave.
Only Shop Online On Secure Connections
If you’re using a safe website but an unprotected Wi-Fi connection, your details are still vulnerable. Public Wi-Fi connections like those in coffee shops and shopping centres are not necessarily secure, meaning that hackers could intercept any information you send while connected. Rather use your mobile data to pay online, as it’s much more secure than public Wi-Fi.
Bring Your Browser Up-To-Date
It will also help if your internet browser and anti-virus software are up-to-date. Although these updates may be annoying and data-hungry, they are there to remove any weak spots that could be exploited by online criminals.
Shun Strange Emails
Although this tip is largely known, you’d be surprised at how well online criminals can mimic well-known websites. They use these websites to create emails that entice you to click on legitimate-looking links – an easy trap to fall into. I myself was once a victim to these malicious tactics. Type in the website address yourself if you’re unsure. Remember though, no authorised website or seller in Nigeria will ask you to send personal or financial information over email or the phone.
Protect Yourself Using A Popular Online Payment Processing Platform
The most important tip to help you pay online safely is using an accredited, popular online payment processing platform that uses stringent safety measures. Flutterwave is renowned across Nigeria for being 100% secure, monitoring payments 24/7, and offering extensive protection and refunding options to consumers through our Payment Protection Promise.
With us, you can have peace of mind knowing that your sensitive information is protected and every payment made on our platform is 100% secure. This is thanks to our security measures exceeding even industry standards, which include:
Flutterwave ISO 27001 & 22301 certification
This acknowledges our ethical and transparent business processes and practices, as well as our extensive business continuity plans.
Flutterwave’s PA DSS & PCI DSS compliant
This is proof that we have exceeded the highest level of Security Audits.
If you want to make sure that you pay online safely while shopping in Nigeria, Flutterwave is the platform you need. Our innovative features and artificially intelligent software ensures that your information and payments are protected while offering an easy, swift, and smart way to pay online in over 150 currencies, on websites or smartphones, and using your preferred payment method.
Contact us to discuss any worries you have or create your account now!