Hollaport, a new payment-in-messaging platform that brings a mix of social media excitement with financial technology, has been introduced to drive mobile money penetration in the country.
The two-in-one app which gives its users the ability to boost their social interaction through chatting, receiving and sending of money and other numerous services was launched on Saturday at Zone Tech Park, Gbagada, Lagos.
Speaking during the launch in Lagos, Kabiru Rabiu, the Managing Director, Hollaport, stated that Hollaport App was solely an indigenous platform designed to meet the needs and yearnings of Nigerians, especially the unbanked in rural communities across the country.
Rabiu pointed out that there were a lot of unbanked areas in Nigeria, adding that the platform would create the opportunity for Nigerians in remote communities to partake in the various banking transactions.
He disclosed that the journey of the app started two years ago and was borne out of the need to ease financial transaction and increase financial inclusion as well as transfer money and make payments not only in Nigeria but throughout the African continent.
According to him, Hollaport is a Nigerian payment-in-messaging platform designed to provide both social and financial solutions to its numerous users through technological aids.
“The application has two major features at the moment. It has chat and payment features but we are going to include additional features in the nearest future. We have airtime top-ups, cable, electricity, and data subscription and paycode – a technology that enables users to withdraw cash from ATM without the need to have a card or bank account.
“Our focus is to boost financial inclusion of the unbanked and to also increase the possibilities and convenience of chatting, sending and receiving money without leaving the chat platform,” Rabiu explained.
He, however, lamented that financial inclusion has been a major issue in Nigeria with over half of the adult population being unbanked pointing out that only a fraction of the banked are using technology in their processes.
While demonstrating the functionality of Hollaport App, Micheal Olowojesiku, the general manager, Hollaport, emphasized that the whole idea about Hollaport was to give its users the liberty to do many transactions within the platform at the same time.
Olowojesiku added that Hollaport runs on a well-optimized platform that is aesthetically pleasing and easy to navigate with a seamless flop of operations.
He noted that Hollaport technologies aim to reduce the learning curve associated with mobile applications by developing a lifestyle tool that can fit in all areas of life, while maintaining ease-of-use.
“The question has never been one of when, but of how and this is the gap we intend to fill in the Nigerian market. As you know that over 85 percent of Nigerian adults own a mobile device, 103 million have active internet subscriptions, and a large percentage of this data size have a presence on social media. Hollaport aggregates instant messaging features with financial technology to ensure the app is as relevant as it is functional.
“We use new technology to ensure that the process is smooth, efficient and intuitive for the perfect experience. Our customers are our priority and it is our aim to make their lives a lot easier,”Olowojesiku said.
Hollaport is a first-of-its-kind platform that pushes the possibilities of the average mobile app. With emphasis on comfort and efficiency, it brings together social interaction, business processes, donations and utility payments – all on one platform.
