Introduction

Perhaps more important than the idea of making money, is the idea that the money in question is safe at all times. Nobody will put money in a system that refuses to provide any measures to keep their finances secure. To this day, there are people from older generations who hide their money at home because, for some reason, they do not trust banks. But this just goes to show the lengths to which people love to keep watchful eyes over their hard-earned cash.

For a financial services or payment solutions provider to stand out from the competition, it must reassure its customer base of the safety and security of its platforms. It is not enough that transactions are conducted speedily and conveniently; users need to know that their finances are water-tight secure, or that at the very least, the risk of leakages or fraud is significantly low.

Fraud As The Bane Of Financial Transactions In Nigeria

Nigeria has made significant progress in the journey to becoming a cashless society, and a lot of people now conduct financial transactions from their smartphones rather than put money in large bags. Sadly, however, this has not come without its drawbacks. Online fraud is on the increase, with hackers and fraudsters coming up with new techniques every day to fleece people of their earnings.

On social media, it’s commonplace to see a Nigerian narrate how their savings got wiped out as a result of one fraudulent transaction, either because a hacker gained access to their account details, or because their smartphone was stolen and their passwords unlocked. Whatever the case,it is always sad to hear that individuals or businesses have been fraudulently dispossessed of their hard-earned financials.

How To Avoid Falling Victim To Financial Fraud

Anyone can become a victim of fraud, but if the right precautions are taken, the chances of that happening are slim to none. Here are a few ways to minimize the risk of exposure to fraud:

1.   Scrutinise email links before clicking: Another technique scammers might use to get your account information is phishing. It’s a very popular and effective way to hack someone by using carefully crafted emails. They will usually offer you discounts or offers that are too hard to resist. Before you click on any email link, be sure of who the sender is, where the link leads to, and the nature of the information required of you.

2.   Never use Public WiFi to make online purchases: Public Wi-Fi is the perfect place for scammers and hackers to do their work. These networks feature poor security and can be scanned by hackers looking for weak connections. Public computers are also highly insecure.

3.   Never divulge your banking details, or give any personal information to callers, whoever they claim to be. Banks and banking staff will never ask you for your password, pin or such other sensitive data over the phone or even by email.

4.   Never give your online banking login details to anyone, irrespective of who they claim to be. Banks will never ask you to move money to another account.

5.   If for any reason, your ATM card or smartphone goes missing or is stolen, head to the nearest branch of your bank and request that restrictions be placed on your account immediately. This is to eliminate the risk of having your account cleared out by anyone who may have gained access to confidential data.

How Paga Provides Security To Its Large Customer Base

Paga is easily Nigeria’s most trusted e-wallet. It acts as a mobile wallet where any user equipped with a mobile device can conduct financial transactions. It is easy to use, it is secure, and transactions are conducted speedily.

You can fund your Paga e-wallet in either of the following ways:

1.   Transfer from a bank account directly to your Paga account. To do this:

• Log in to your internet banking
• Select “transfer to other banks”
• Insert your account number
• Select “Paga” as the beneficiary bank
• Input amount
• Fill in the required field on the transfer page
• Input your PIN and complete your transfer.

2.  You can visit mypaga.com and deposit money into your Paga account from your ATM card. To do this:

• Click on “wallet” under My Paga
• Click on “add cash”
• Enter amount
• Select card as a payment option, then click on the deposit tab that will appear below
• Enter your card number, the expiry date of the card, and the CVV at the back of the card.
• Input your PIN, click “deposit” and follow the instructions to fund your wallet

3.  Visit any Paga-accredited agent to fund your wallet.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) reported that in 2022 severe floods impacted more than 4.4 million people in Nigeria. Over 2.4 million people have been evacuated due to the floods. There have been more than 660 fatalities. The devastating floods have rendered 174,000 homes uninhabitable as well. The floods may increase the nation’s already dismal levels of hunger and malnutrition because they have ruined more than 676,000 hectares of crops during the harvest season.  Bayelsa State is one of the badly hit states in Nigeria, so as an organization, we decided to make life possible for about 500 families.

Last year’s Christmas holiday season was a time for giving and spreading joy, and we used the opportunity to do just that for flood victims in Bayelsa State. The floods that have ravaged the state in recent months have caused immense hardship for thousands of families, with many losing their homes, livelihoods, and even loved ones.

We believe in the power of community and coming together to make a difference which is why we partnered with Hilarity Grace Foundation, a Bayelsa based Nonprofit to carryout a CSR project to provide assistance to about 500 families in Edepie and Igbogene communities in Bayelsa.

We distributed essential items such as food, and household goods to these families, to help them get back on their feet. Even though it was heart-wrenching to see the devastation that the floods had caused, it was also incredibly rewarding to be able to make a difference in the lives of these families, no matter how little our help was.

At Paga, we are committed to making life possible for those in need and we will continue to support and empower communities affected by natural disasters, hunger and poverty.

Introduction
Migration has always been a common feature in human existence. For those who believe in organised religion, the holy books have it on record that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob all had to move from their birthplaces at some point. The history of ancient civilizations also features a lot of migration stories: entire countries came to being simply because a set of people decided to move from their comfort zone and find new settlements.

People make the decision to migrate for a myriad of reasons. Some do it to escape economic hardship and seek out a better quality of life for themselves, others choose to “japa” so they can escape political persecution (especially in countries where human rights are constantly violated), and there are those who simply want to experience life elsewhere and decide to embark on a new adventure.

Nigeria Has Been Heavily Hit By The “Japa” Wave

In the past few years, many Nigerians have made the bold decision to leave their home country and start new lives in an entirely different continent. Every other day, social media is replete with photos of Nigerians at the arrival lounges of airports in other countries. Enthusiastically, they upload photos of themselves dressed in winter jackets, clutching one or two travel bags, complete with the caption “New Dispensation.”

People are choosing to “japa” these days because of the grim socioeconomic conditions that are currently bedevilling Nigeria. The value of the Naira continues to plummet, unemployment is at an all-time high, power supply keeps fluctuating, companies are folding up as the business terrain becomes untenable, and the entire country is plagued by insecurity.

A good number of Nigerians, especially those within the 21-50 age bracket, try to leave the country via several pathways, legal or otherwise. Some people successfully apply to jobs abroad that sponsor their visas, while others depart Nigeria via the education route. In August, September, December and January of every year, visa processing centres have their hands full as young Nigerians seek to take their respective leaps of faith, hoping to find a lot more than Nigeria currently has to offer.

However, it’s not always sweetness and light for those who choose to migrate. The grass usually looks greener, but people fail to notice the thorns in between. Young Nigerians have shared sad stories of how they sold all their property, based on false promises of a job abroad, only to find that they had been conned. Some have had to make public appeals on social media to help raise the balance for their tuition, realizing that their admission could be at risk. In recent weeks, photos have also surfaced of Nigerians sleeping at public libraries, airports and train stations, owing to a lack of sufficient accommodation

Five Things To Know Before Moving Abroad

It’s hard enough to migrate, as there’s a lot of financial and emotional investment involved, but it’s a lot more difficult when it’s done without adequate preparation. Few things are worse than being stranded in a new country, with nowhere and no one to turn to. To avoid such a dire situation, here are five things to consider before you japa:

1. Understand Visa Requirements: Most countries require specific visas to live, work and/or study there. In selecting your destination country, it would be helpful to log on to that country’s immigration website, read through the visa requirements, determine whether you are eligible, and work towards putting things in place if you are not.
2. Figure Out Expenses: If you are looking to study abroad, it’s important to research on the school you’re applying to. You need to find out the cost of tuition fees, as well as the cost of living in the city where the institution is located. That way, you get to know whether you have to apply for a scholarship to aid funding, or apply to another college altogether. This is to avoid a situation where you struggle with payments and ultimately have your admission withdrawn.
3. Create A Budget: Before moving abroad, you need to have some savings stashed away: it is dangerous to travel without any sort of financial backup, especially when you consider exchange rates. It could also take longer than expected to get a job, so you need some money to hold on to until you land your first gig. The cost of living varies with each city, so you may want to move to a smaller town until you can afford to live in the more urbanized areas.
4. Know what to travel with: Many people make the big mistake of entering a new country with items that they do not need, and that they may end up having to throw away. To avoid this, make enquiries: ask your friends who live there, or consult the internet for answers via Google, Twitter or Quora. If you are not open to trying out the cuisines of the new country, go with as many local food items as you can. Endeavour to buy the kind of clothes that would serve you as you battle with a
   different weather from what you are used to.
5. Learn About health Guidelines: For some countries, you would have to present a number of medical certificates during the visa application process, such as COVID 19 test results and tuberculosis clearance certificates. Carefully search out the requirements that each country demands, so that you save time and money in trying to secure your visa.
   

How Paga Aids You As You Navigate Your “Japa” Process

Paga, Nigeria’s leading payment solutions provider, allows users to transfer money electronically and make payments through their mobile devices. It acts as a mobile wallet, with which anyone who has an internet-enabled phone can conduct financial transactions.

Paga allows you to purchase prepaid airtime, and pay for subscription services as well as internet bundles. You can sort out your internet subscription with Paga’s smooth bill payment service.

Opening a Paga account is pretty easy. To get started, click here to download.

Introduction
APIs enable communication between devices across the world. It is why Uber can show real-time traffic updates using Google Maps. It is also the reason you can send payment through multiple channels across the nation made possible by Paga. 

In this article, we will discuss how devices communicate through APIs.  

Table Of Content

1. Introduction
2. What is an API?
3. How do APIs work?
4. Working with an API

What Is An API?

An API ( Application Programming Interface ) is a collection of features that details data interaction between applications. The 2 important parts are the services being provided and the protocol needed to access these services. APIs are needed anytime devices communicate. On the web, APIs are used to request or send data to any platform that supports it.

APIs are extendable. Businesses can build solutions on the Paga API to reach their own customers. For example, you can buy food on the FoodCourt App and select ThePeer as your payment choice who can debit your Paga account.

How do APIs work? 

There are several API protocols. We will focus on the most popular protocol termed RESTful APIs. 

A RESTful API is an architectural style for building APIs that follows a set of guidelines for creating HTTP services that are flexible, scalable, and easy to maintain. Paga APIs are built using this protocol.

Consuming RESTful APIs is a common task for modern software development. 

Here’s a guide on how to consume RESTful APIs:

1. Identify the API endpoint(s) you want to access. 

RESTful APIs typically expose a set of endpoints that allow you to perform various actions, such as retrieving data, creating new resources, updating existing resources, and deleting resources. 

With the Paga Collect API, you can manage persistent accounts for your users. For example, if you run a logistics business, you can create a wallet for your users and debit them as they use your services.

2. Determine the HTTP method required by the endpoint. 

Each endpoint may require a different HTTP method, such as GET, POST, PUT, or DELETE. It’s important to understand which method is required for each endpoint, as using the wrong method can result in an error.

In our Paga Connect API, the HTTP methods are written before the different endpoints. This make it easy to identify and use to the right endpoint.

3. Set up your development environment. 

In order to consume an API, you’ll need to have a development environment set up with the necessary tools and libraries. This may include a programming language, such as Python or JavaScript, and tools like Postman or Curl.

Postman offers a marketplace for apis. 

4. Make an HTTP request. 

There are several ways to make HTTP requests in your programming language of choice. For example, you can use the XMLHttpRequest object in JavaScript, the requests library in Python, or a third-party library such as axios or superagent.

5. Configure the request. 

Depending on the endpoint and HTTP method you’re using, you may need to set the request URL, headers, and body data. For example, if you’re making a POST request to create a new resource, you’ll need to include the data for the resource in the request body.

6. Send the request and handle the response. 

Once you’ve configured the request, you can send it using the send() method or equivalent. The API will then return a response, which may include data, a status code, and any relevant headers. You can use the methods provided by your programming language or library to access the response data and handle any errors that may occur.

7. Consider caching and pagination. 

Depending on the size and complexity of the API, you may want to consider implementing caching or pagination in order to improve performance and reduce the load on the server. Caching allows you to store frequently accessed data locally, while pagination allows you to retrieve data in smaller chunks, reducing the amount of data transferred with each request.

By following these steps, you can effectively consume a RESTful API and integrate its data and functionality into your application. It’s important to carefully read the API’s documentation and understand its capabilities and limitations in order to effectively use the API and avoid common pitfalls.