Firm launches payment system to ease transactions

Repeated challenges with everyday digital payments have inspired Lagos-based entrepreneur, Olaide Alimi, to develop a new platform aimed at reducing the stress Nigerians face when paying for basic services.

Alimi, who is the founder of Snappy Technology, said the idea for SnappyPay was born out of a personal experience that exposed the inefficiencies in the country’s digital payment system.

He recalled attempting to pay a routine bill but being debited without receiving value. The delay and lack of resolution, he said, became a turning point.

According to him, “I realised the system in Nigeria is quite challenging. I paid for a particular bill, got charged, but nothing came through. That incident made me stop and ask why these everyday transactions are still so difficult. I felt there had to be a way to make this process seamless.”

Motivated by that experience, Alimi began exploring how to design a platform that eliminates common issues such as failed transactions, delays and unreturned charges.

This led to the development of SnappyPay, a utility-focused platform built to support routine needs such as airtime purchase, data subscription and other minor but frequent payments.

Although several digital tools currently serve the same space, Alimi believes the gaps he encountered are symptoms of a larger infrastructure problem. “There are many apps out there, but many people still struggle to get value immediately after payment. That is the gap that really concerns me,” he said.

The platform was formally introduced during an event in Ikeja, Lagos, recently, where Snappy Technology also marked the fifth anniversary of its earlier venture, SnappyExchange.