Thread by @sykephil

@NIBSS_NG launched #mcash in 2016 and relaunched it in 2018. It was a ceremony for the elites who have too many alternatives. 3 years after the 1st launch many still don't about what should be seen as the best provision to drive the cashless economy that @cenbank is promoting.

The problem with this initiative is same with most ideas in Nigeria. It started well and is not nosing towards its utmost possibility because there is no sufficient knowing about it at the grassroot among the hawkers and market women

In Kenya today, #mpesa is everywhere. epayment thrives even on the roadside. Reduction of cash transaction is a plus for every economy.

Every partially educated seller in Nigeria should have their merchant code by now. I had a flat tyre some 2 years ago. I was only lucky to have on me the exact amount to pAy the vulcaniser. I asked him about #mcash, he wondered why no one enlightened them about such.

@NIBSS_NG don't even need so much to drive this. Drive the enlightenment towards trade association leaders and cascade the info down their ranks through them and we'll all be better for it. Before long the masons, plumbers, and market women will proudly resort to it.

At this time when contractable disease is raging, we'll certainly be better for it if our traders, sellers, and service providers at the grassroot know about how they can get their merchant code via *402*2# without going through the rigour if filling forms in the bank.

Another issue with this innovation is that @NIBSS_NG made the use of #mcash optional for banks, whereas this is the most universal provision for #epayment in Nigeria as at today.

Banks like @gtbank do not consider the plus that this is for the economy and since it's optional, they maintain their territory instead of supporting the @NigeriaGov by participating in the drive.

My suggestions to @cenbank bad @NIBSS_NG are:
Drive this initiative through unrelenting enlightenment towards all at the grassroots.
Publicise the *402# through the mass media as government initiative.
Mandate all the banks to adapt their #ussd service to relate with *402# drive

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