Victor Daniyan Speaks on Building Africa-First Smart Payments with AI and Mobile-First Design

Victor Daniyan is a leading voice in Africa’s fintech and clean energy sectors. As Founder and CEO of Nearpays and Yourrider, he’s on a mission to make payments smarter and energy cleaner. A Forbes 30 Under 30 (2024) nominee and Certified Management Consultant, Victor leverages AI and contactless solutions through Nearpays, while Yourrider pioneers EV swap and charging infrastructure. 

 In this interview, he shares how AI, mobile-first design, and deep local insight are powering scalable fintech and clean energy solutions and why Africa is poised to shape the future of global innovation.

How does AI improve transaction speed, security, and reliability on Nearpays?

AI is a game-changer for us in boosting transaction speed, security, and reliability. On speed, AI-driven predictive analytics help us optimize transaction routing, reducing processing times and making payments near-instant for our users. For security, AI-powered fraud detection kicks in big time – we’re talking real-time risk assessment, anomaly detection, and stopping suspicious transactions before they happen.

This means our users transact with confidence, knowing their money is safer.

On reliability, AI helps us anticipate and prevent downtime. Our systems learn from transaction patterns, flagging potential issues before they impact users.

This translates to higher uptime and smoother experiences for our 60,000+ SME users. Plus, AI-driven insights help us enhance our softPOS platform, making it more intuitive and adaptive to merchants’ needs. Bottom line: AI isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s core to how we deliver fast, secure, reliable payments

What technical challenges come with running payments purely on smartphones?

Running payments purely on smartphones throws up challenges like ensuring robust security on diverse devices, managing connectivity in areas with spotty networks, and optimizing for low-end phones common in our markets.

Then there’s balancing simplicity with feature-richness – our users range from tech-savvy merchants to first-time digital adopters. We tackle these by baking in layers of security like biometric auth and tokenization, building offline capabilities, and keeping our UI super intuitive. It’s about making payments work seamlessly, no matter the phone.

How do Nearpays and Yourrider share technology or data insights?

Our companies share a symbiotic tech relationship that drives efficiency and innovation. We leverage Nearpays’ payment infrastructure to power transactions for Yourrider’s logistics and delivery services – think merchants processing payments via softPOS and riders getting paid seamlessly for deliveries.

This integration boosts cash flow for riders and offers Nearpays deeper insights into merchant needs.

Data insights flow both ways. Yourrider’s logistics data helps Nearpays tailor financial products for SMEs in specific industries, like offering instant payouts to merchants based on delivery success rates.

It’s a win-win: Yourrider optimizes logistics with payment data, and Nearpays enhances financial services with rider and merchant insights.

In what ways can payment technology solve logistics and mobility problems?

Payment tech can revolutionize logistics and mobility by making transactions seamless, instant, and data-driven. In logistics, digital payments enable frictionless payouts to drivers/riders, automate invoice settlements, and track transactions in real-time.

This boosts cash flow, reduces admin hassles, and optimizes route planning with payment-linked data insights.

For mobility, integrating payments into transport apps (like tolls, parking, or ride-hailing) creates one-tap experiences for users and operators.

In Africa’s emerging markets, mobile-centric payment solutions help logistics players scale efficiently, manage risks, and expand services. By embedding payments into the journey, we unlock efficiency gains across the mobility ecosystem.

How do you design systems that work in low-connectivity environments?

For low connectivity environments, we’re building design systems that prioritize offline-first capabilities – think transactions that work offline and sync seamlessly when connection returns. We’re leveraging local data caching, PWA tech, and optimizing UIs to work with intermittent internet.

The goal? Payments happen smoothly whether you’re in Lagos traffic or rural Nigeria. We’re also testing mesh networks and SMS fallbacks to keep things moving.

What does scaling across African markets demand from your tech stack?

Scaling across African markets demands extreme agility and local relevance. We’ve built a flexible tech stack that adapts to diverse regulatory landscapes, payment preferences (mobile money, cards, bank transfers), and connectivity realities. Our softPOS is a hit because it works on basic smartphones – meeting users where they are.

To scale, we’re doubling down on local partnerships, hiring local experts, and iterating products with country-specific feedback loops. It’s about solving payments in ways that click locally, whether in Nairobi, Lagos, or Dakar.

How do you think about cybersecurity as adoption grows?

Cybersecurity is top-of-mind as we scale. With growth comes increased risk, so we’re doubling down on layered defenses – think AI-driven fraud detection, biometric auth, and tokenization for sensitive data.

Our partnership with Cybersource is a big boost; their global expertise in payment security complements our local know-how. Together, we’re baking in robust security as we expand, protecting our users and their transactions. It’s about building trust, fast.

What role can African startups play in the global fintech ecosystem?

I firmly believe African startups can absolutely play in the global fintech ecosystem – and we’re proving it. With tech talent, innovative solutions, and a huge underserved market, African fintechs bring unique value. Our softPOS tech, for instance, solves real problems for merchants here and has potential elsewhere. The key is solving local challenges exceptionally well, then scaling smartly.

Global partnerships are a big enabler. Collaborations with international players like Cybersource give us access to tech, expertise, and networks. But it’s not just about plugging into the global ecosystem – African fintechs need to lead with solutions that work locally, then expand. With the right blend of innovation, partnerships, and execution, African startups can go big globally.

How do you see Africa’s fintech market evolving over the next decade?

I see Africa’s fintech market evolving explosively over the next decade, driven by mobile penetration, regulatory maturity, and innovative solutions. We’ll see massive growth in digital payments, Buy Now Pay Later services, and embedded finance – think payments integrated into everyday apps and platforms. The rise of super-apps and decentralised finance (DeFi) will further accelerate financial inclusion.

Regulatory clarity will boost cross-border payments, stablecoin adoption, and partnerships between telcos, banks, and fintechs. AI-driven credit scoring will unlock financial inclusion for millions. Sustainability and compliance will become key differentiators. Africa’s fintechs will lead globally, exporting solutions and attracting international investment. It’s an exciting time.

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