CARDEXPO AFRICA 2015 SET TO FOCUS ON EPAYMENT INCENTIVES AND INNOVATION TO DRIVE GROWTH

PRESS RELEASE

CARDEXPO AFRICA 2015 SET TO FOCUS ON EPAYMENT INCENTIVES AND INNOVATION TO DRIVE GROWTH

Intermarc Consulting Limited is set to host the 15th edition of Africa’s most anticipated

CARDEXPO AFRICA 2015 Conference and Exhibition with special focus on Card, Mobile,

Identification and Payment. The event will hold at the Eko Hotel and Suite, Victoria Island,

Lagos, from June 23 – 25, 2015.

According to the organizers, the theme for this year is “INNOVATION: THE FUTURE OF

ePAYMENT”.

This will focus greatly on the future of payment, the assumption that underlines growth

potentials and how innovation will drive the process.

The conference and exhibition will also focus on new users as well as the service delivery

strategy that will deliver the future of payment.

Speaking with Conference Director, Lilian Ekwedike, she noted that while the payment

landscape has evolved rapidly over the past decade, due to a flurry of innovation and

regulation, expansive growth in electronic payments and the inclusion of new market entrants,

industry research indicates that the next decade will yield a period of even faster changes.

Her words ‘In the traditional electronic payment sector the weak national economies across

Africa continues to drive cost efficiencies in both domestic and international payment

systems. International trade expansion and globalization are growing the demands for cross

border payment while the rapidly changing demands of corporates, non-banks and banks

for lower, reduced fees and improved services will increase pressure on traditional payments

models to rationalize. The retail payment sector is already undergoing major change primarily as

a result of the disruptive impact of e-commerce mobile and tablets. There is a rapid development

of new payment concepts and business structures which will displace traditional cash and other

forms of payment.

Lilian Ekwedike stated that over the next five to seven years, retail and wholesale payments are expected

to mature into highly automated and interactive eco-systems. Of particular importance and a new

opportunity for banks, will be the growth in the use of traditional electronic ACH payments in the retail

sector. This is beginning to happen in Nigeria with the NIBBS instant payment platform. Electronic and

the newly emerging alternative payment have an increasingly important role to play in enabling banks to

displace cash and cheque transactions over the next decade as e-commerce grows and payment

accelerates rapidly. Innovation and new developments will be the key drivers for change over the

next five to seven years.’

According to her, at this Conference and Exhibition, top card and epayment experts will be

sharing inside strategies on positioning and enhancing your card business to ensure your spot in

the rapidly evolving Card Ecosystem. Merchants, Issuers, Financial Institutions, and Solution

Providers will hear first-hand, in insightful panel debates, a holistic idea exchange around the

industry’s and most pressing issues on Cards, Mobile payment, MPOS, NFC, BVN, Square Me,

ATM, EFT, eGovernment payments at federal and state levels, Utility payments etc.

She also said that the company will be rewarding bank customers that frequently use their

cards on POS. Merchants and sales persons who promote and encourage the use of card on

POS will also be rewarded with various cash prizes under the CBN Electronic Payment

Incentive Scheme (EPIS).

She confirm that her company has also put together Demo Sessions for pitches by young

developers of brilliant “out of the box” payment technologies who will have the opportunity to

present and demonstrate their innovative solutions during the conference. N250,000 will be won

by each of the best four epayment demo pitchers. Only solutions that has not been launched or

in the market will qualify to be presented at our pitches.

CardExpo Africa Exhibition continues its tradition of showcasing the most exciting

developments in the payment sector. With a variety of new innovative technologies,

it has never been more important to keep pace with industry developments. With banks, cards

scheme and newer entrants all vying their place at the centre of the ecosystem, this must attend

event will provide insightful takeaways from the industry

Over 50 companies, including banks, Card companies from the local and international payment

community have thrown their weight behind the event. Some of the companies that will

showcase new innovative products and services at this event are: Diamond Bank, Zenith Bank,

SecureID Limited, Heritage Bank, First Bank, Chams Group, Access Bank, Unified payment,

Fidelity Bank, UBA, Visa International, EcoBank, MasterCard, Unity Bank, APPZONE,

shoptomydoor, Citiserve, global accelerex, Itex, eTranzact, Samsung, Sterling Bank, Globasure,

Cardstel, Inlaks, GTP, Verifone, Computer Warehouse Group, Systemspecs, Skye Bank as well

as other international companies like future cards dubai, pole premium france, tribecatr south

Africa, shenzentecare cards china, JCB international, Checkmarx france etc

Top government agencies, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement

System (NIBSS) have also put their weight as partners to this event.

Nigerian Central Bank Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele will be leading other Nigerian financial

institutions’ chiefs to speak at the opening ceremony of this event while the CBN Deputy

Governor, Mr Sulaiman Barau will speak at the closing dinner.

Banks and card companies have the opportunity to win in different award categories in the 2015

cardexpo awards. This is a fully automated award process incorporating online nomination and

voting. The cardexpo awards is supported by NIBSS and CBN and the awards will be given out

by the CBN deputy Governor at the closing dinner. To vote, please visit the conference website:http://cardatmandmobilexpo.com/nomination/