Comments on: West Africa ePayment Opportunity: Video Interview with Oluniyi David Ajao http://www.davidajao.com/blog/2009/10/07/west-africa-epayment-opportunity-video-interview-with-oluniyi-david-ajao/ Personal blog of an Internet Entrepreneur & Technology Enthusiast Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:59:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: <img src="http://www.davidajao.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/geosmart/flags/us.png" alt="United States" /> Oluniyi D. Ajao <small id="gs_author_location">from Texas, United States</small> http://www.davidajao.com/blog/2009/10/07/west-africa-epayment-opportunity-video-interview-with-oluniyi-david-ajao/#comment-47713 United States Oluniyi D. Ajao from Texas, United States Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:25:18 +0000 http://www.davidajao.com/blog/?p=1475#comment-47713 About the video, I was responding directly to questions asked by the interviewer. I fully understand the challenges that exist in Ghana relative to e-commerce. May have attempted e-commerce in Ghana and failed miserably. That notwithstanding, I believe e-commerce would find its place if it were to fully exist right now. People would find a use for it. For now, its still more feasible to go buy your physical items from stores around you than to shop online and wait for it to be delivered. About the video, I was responding directly to questions asked by the interviewer. I fully understand the challenges that exist in Ghana relative to e-commerce. May have attempted e-commerce in Ghana and failed miserably. That notwithstanding, I believe e-commerce would find its place if it were to fully exist right now. People would find a use for it. For now, its still more feasible to go buy your physical items from stores around you than to shop online and wait for it to be delivered.

]]> By: <img src="http://www.davidajao.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/geosmart/flags/gb.png" alt="United Kingdom" /> Evan <small id="gs_author_location">from London, United Kingdom</small> http://www.davidajao.com/blog/2009/10/07/west-africa-epayment-opportunity-video-interview-with-oluniyi-david-ajao/#comment-47706 United Kingdom Evan from London, United Kingdom Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:09:59 +0000 http://www.davidajao.com/blog/?p=1475#comment-47706 Thank you. you are right and that is the message I was expecting from the video and sorry about my statement saying the "video is useless". It just comes down to a Bank to develop a good online banking product to offer to retailers because there is money to be made and an improved cost effective postal network system. I dont see why we can not create our own palpal system for Ghana linked to the banking E-wich system. Thank you. you are right and that is the message I was expecting from the video and sorry about my statement saying the “video is useless”.
It just comes down to a Bank to develop a good online banking product to offer to retailers because there is money to be made and an improved cost effective postal network system. I dont see why we can not create our own palpal system for Ghana linked to the banking E-wich system.

]]> By: <img src="http://www.davidajao.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/geosmart/flags/gh.png" alt="Ghana" /> Oluniyi D. Ajao <small id="gs_author_location">from Ghana</small> http://www.davidajao.com/blog/2009/10/07/west-africa-epayment-opportunity-video-interview-with-oluniyi-david-ajao/#comment-47701 Ghana Oluniyi D. Ajao from Ghana Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:39:17 +0000 http://www.davidajao.com/blog/?p=1475#comment-47701 It is not feasible to sell everything (in Ghana) via e-commerce. Despite that, somethings can still run cost-effectively via e-commerce. Virtual goods like mobile phone airtime is one. It is not feasible to sell everything (in Ghana) via e-commerce. Despite that, somethings can still run cost-effectively via e-commerce. Virtual goods like mobile phone airtime is one.

]]> By: <img src="http://www.davidajao.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/geosmart/flags/gb.png" alt="United Kingdom" /> Evan <small id="gs_author_location">from London, United Kingdom</small> http://www.davidajao.com/blog/2009/10/07/west-africa-epayment-opportunity-video-interview-with-oluniyi-david-ajao/#comment-47696 United Kingdom Evan from London, United Kingdom Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:31:17 +0000 http://www.davidajao.com/blog/?p=1475#comment-47696 Ok left me touch on the piont in the video 2:14 (when e-commece is very high) How does that happen when we are in a country where every is massivly over priced?. whats the point of buying something f0r 1 Ghana cedie and paying 6 to 10 cedie to post it via EMS or DHL? with bad postal address systems in Ghana it would be deleivered to where. lets say someone orders from nima. its just cheaper and safer for me to go down and pick it up myself, we live in a country where refuns are not an option then you wonder why pay-pal dont want west Africa. This video is useless Ok left me touch on the piont in the video 2:14 (when e-commece is very high)
How does that happen when we are in a country where every is massivly over priced?. whats the point of buying something f0r 1 Ghana cedie and paying 6 to 10 cedie to post it via EMS or DHL? with bad postal address systems in Ghana it would be deleivered to where. lets say someone orders from nima. its just cheaper and safer for me to go down and pick it up myself, we live in a country where refuns are not an option then you wonder why pay-pal dont want west Africa.
This video is useless

]]> By: <img src="http://www.davidajao.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/geosmart/flags/gb.png" alt="United Kingdom" /> Fee <small id="gs_author_location">from London, United Kingdom</small> http://www.davidajao.com/blog/2009/10/07/west-africa-epayment-opportunity-video-interview-with-oluniyi-david-ajao/#comment-47567 United Kingdom Fee from London, United Kingdom Mon, 12 Oct 2009 07:06:58 +0000 http://www.davidajao.com/blog/?p=1475#comment-47567 I second Kayode on this. A prepaid card system has a greater chance of achieving our expected levels of success in this ePayment business. Imagine a system where to pay online( or via your phone) all you need to do is scratch a card and input some 13 digits on a web form (or your phone's keypad) to buy that ebook you like, pay for water, electricity, subscriptions , etc etc... This however works for small monetary value transactions, which I presume, is what most Africans will be able to afford. Now the few who can afford more are usually banked and have cards. That's where the VISA and Mastercard integration comes in handy. Though technically these seem possible on the surface, there are lots of regulatory restrictions, lack of cooperation, and too much money at stake rendering ePayment in Africa an unnecessarily Herculian task. I second Kayode on this. A prepaid card system has a greater chance of achieving our expected levels of success in this ePayment business.

Imagine a system where to pay online( or via your phone) all you need to do is scratch a card and input some 13 digits on a web form (or your phone’s keypad) to buy that ebook you like, pay for water, electricity, subscriptions , etc etc…

This however works for small monetary value transactions, which I presume, is what most Africans will be able to afford.

Now the few who can afford more are usually banked and have cards. That’s where the VISA and Mastercard integration comes in handy.

Though technically these seem possible on the surface, there are lots of regulatory restrictions, lack of cooperation, and too much money at stake rendering ePayment in Africa an unnecessarily Herculian task.

]]> By: <img src="http://www.davidajao.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/geosmart/flags/us.png" alt="United States" /> 27 months » Blog Archive » Quick Hits for Oct 11 <small id="gs_author_location">from California, United States</small> http://www.davidajao.com/blog/2009/10/07/west-africa-epayment-opportunity-video-interview-with-oluniyi-david-ajao/#comment-47563 United States 27 months » Blog Archive » Quick Hits for Oct 11 from California, United States Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:43:47 +0000 http://www.davidajao.com/blog/?p=1475#comment-47563 [...] leave cash on the table in Sub-Saharan Africa, smart ePayment solutions are left up for grabs. In a video interview, Oluniyi David Ajao describes the business opportunity for West Africa. (via @ICT_Works & [...] [...] leave cash on the table in Sub-Saharan Africa, smart ePayment solutions are left up for grabs. In a video interview, Oluniyi David Ajao describes the business opportunity for West Africa. (via @ICT_Works & [...]

]]> By: <img src="http://www.davidajao.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/geosmart/flags/us.png" alt="United States" /> Oluniyi D. Ajao <small id="gs_author_location">from Texas, United States</small> http://www.davidajao.com/blog/2009/10/07/west-africa-epayment-opportunity-video-interview-with-oluniyi-david-ajao/#comment-47537 United States Oluniyi D. Ajao from Texas, United States Thu, 08 Oct 2009 05:35:17 +0000 http://www.davidajao.com/blog/?p=1475#comment-47537 I agree with you especially the point: no gateway/wallet should rely on Visa & Mastercard exclusively. I agree with you especially the point: no gateway/wallet should rely on Visa & Mastercard exclusively.

]]> By: <img src="http://www.davidajao.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/geosmart/flags/my.png" alt="Malaysia" /> Kayode Muyibi <small id="gs_author_location">from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia</small> http://www.davidajao.com/blog/2009/10/07/west-africa-epayment-opportunity-video-interview-with-oluniyi-david-ajao/#comment-47535 Malaysia Kayode Muyibi from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Thu, 08 Oct 2009 04:44:25 +0000 http://www.davidajao.com/blog/?p=1475#comment-47535 I think most of the services failed, because they failed to develop a proper integration to shopping carts,and usually expect merchants to develop their own integration system from ground up. Those gateways that actually have plugins and modules for merchants are very expensive, hence businesses choose not to use them. I think if an African payment gateway limits itself to accepting Credit Cards, it would fail because, that is actually adding up to the existing problem. Africans do not have access to credit cards or even debit cards. I think the concept that could probably work is either a prepaid card system that works with the gateways, with cards available at their usable cost or an integration of the mobile phone payment technology on the web. The prepaid card system can have merchants that offer them at their cost price and earnings could be made through the transactions, and since its prepaid it could be resold on portals integrated on existing gateways like paypal etc and reused to pay on portals that are finding it difficult to use those gateways. A similar concept of cashu the middle eastern payment gateway might work. I think most of the services failed, because they failed to develop a proper integration to shopping carts,and usually expect merchants to develop their own integration system from ground up. Those gateways that actually have plugins and modules for merchants are very expensive, hence businesses choose not to use them.

I think if an African payment gateway limits itself to accepting Credit Cards, it would fail because, that is actually adding up to the existing problem. Africans do not have access to credit cards or even debit cards.

I think the concept that could probably work is either a prepaid card system that works with the gateways, with cards available at their usable cost or an integration of the mobile phone payment technology on the web.

The prepaid card system can have merchants that offer them at their cost price and earnings could be made through the transactions, and since its prepaid it could be resold on portals integrated on existing gateways like paypal etc and reused to pay on portals that are finding it difficult to use those gateways.

A similar concept of cashu the middle eastern payment gateway might work.

]]> By: <img src="http://www.davidajao.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/geosmart/flags/us.png" alt="United States" /> Oluniyi D. Ajao <small id="gs_author_location">from Texas, United States</small> http://www.davidajao.com/blog/2009/10/07/west-africa-epayment-opportunity-video-interview-with-oluniyi-david-ajao/#comment-47533 United States Oluniyi D. Ajao from Texas, United States Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:53:36 +0000 http://www.davidajao.com/blog/?p=1475#comment-47533 I couldn't agree with you more but rolling out a pan-African e-commerce system would be very capital intensive as African is the 2nd largest continent and contains 53 countries. This is why a global financial institution company with a strong financial muscle would have been ideal. I couldn’t agree with you more but rolling out a pan-African e-commerce system would be very capital intensive as African is the 2nd largest continent and contains 53 countries. This is why a global financial institution company with a strong financial muscle would have been ideal.

]]> By: <img src="http://www.davidajao.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/geosmart/flags/us.png" alt="United States" /> Oluniyi D. Ajao <small id="gs_author_location">from Texas, United States</small> http://www.davidajao.com/blog/2009/10/07/west-africa-epayment-opportunity-video-interview-with-oluniyi-david-ajao/#comment-47532 United States Oluniyi D. Ajao from Texas, United States Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:49:55 +0000 http://www.davidajao.com/blog/?p=1475#comment-47532 Another i-wallet? There have been many of that in the past. Most of them have collapsed. See, anything outside the Paypal model - anything that excludes Visa and Mastercard - will not work. Another i-wallet? There have been many of that in the past. Most of them have collapsed. See, anything outside the Paypal model – anything that excludes Visa and Mastercard – will not work.

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