UBA becomes first Nigerian bank on Google Pay as contactless payments begin
- UBA says its Visa and Mastercard holders can now pay with Google Pay on compatible phones.
- Google Pay launched in Nigeria on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, and works at home and abroad.
- The bank says the move is meant to make everyday payments quicker and safer for customers.
United Bank for Africa (UBA) says its Visa and Mastercard customers can now use Google Pay, making it the first Nigerian bank to join the service, which launched in the country on Tuesday, 27 October 2026.
In practice, this means a UBA customer with an eligible card can tap their phone to pay at any terminal that accepts Google Pay, instead of reaching for a physical card. The bank said the service works for payments in Nigeria and abroad, wherever Google Pay is accepted.
Google Pay is a digital wallet that stores card details on a phone or other compatible device and pays through contactless technology.
Why it matters for everyday payments
For many Nigerians, the phone is already the first thing they pick up in the morning and the last thing they put down at night. UBA's head of cards, Orry Seem, said the bank wanted paying to fit that habit.
"For many of them, the phone is the first thing they reach for, so it makes sense for it to become their wallet too," she said.
Seem said being the first bank enabled on the platform showed UBA's push to let customers transact locally and internationally. The bank already offers payment cards, a mobile app, internet banking and LEO, its artificial intelligence-powered virtual assistant, and says Google Pay adds another option rather than replacing them.
Alero Ladipo, UBA's group head of brands, marketing and corporate communications, said customers now expect more ways to pay as digital payments grow in Nigeria. She said the new option is backed by the security of the customer's UBA card, and that the bank will keep working with global technology and payment partners.
UBA operates in 20 African countries and also has a presence in the United Kingdom, the United States, France and the United Arab Emirates. The bank says it has about 25,000 employees and more than 45 million customers worldwide.
What happens next: UBA customers who want to use the service will need an eligible Visa or Mastercard and a compatible device, and will have to add their card to Google Pay. The bank has not said whether there are fees for using the service.
