Payaza Becomes Lebara Nigeria’s Exclusive Payments Partner

In Short

• Lebara Nigeria has partnered with Payaza to power a new digital commerce platform.
• Payaza will act as the exclusive payment partner and technology provider.
• The deal reflects a wider telco shift into commerce and financial services in Nigeria.

What Happened

Payaza has signed a partnership with Lebara Nigeria to support a new digital commerce hub. The agreement was signed in Lagos, and it names Payaza as the exclusive payment partner and technology provider.

Lebara Nigeria is an MVNO, which means it sells mobile services without owning the underlying network (similar to renting space on another operator’s towers and core network). The company said the goal is to build a broader digital ecosystem that combines connectivity with financial services and lifestyle offerings.

Lebara’s CEO, Teniola Stuffman, said the partnership fits its “Telco Trinity” approach of reliable, affordable, and customer-focused services. She also said Payaza’s payment infrastructure will help turn connectivity into a gateway for digital commerce and financial empowerment.

Payaza’s executive advisor, Fawaz Abaniwonda, said the deal is a commercial win and a validation of Payaza’s payments infrastructure. He added that Payaza supports global brands in Nigeria and across 19 African markets where it operates.

Lebara’s Director of Consumer Business, Yinka Isioye, said the next phase of telecom competition will extend beyond airtime and data. He pointed to embedded payments, digital content, and lifestyle services as new differentiators.

Why It Matters

For Nigerian fintechs, exclusive telco partnerships can be a direct route to large customer bases and frequent transaction volume. For telcos, adding payments and commerce tools can increase engagement and reduce churn in a crowded market.

If the platform gains traction, it could raise the bar for reliability, checkout experience, and trust, especially as more connectivity providers look to bundle services that look like a commerce app plus a wallet.