Mastercard and Lagos‑based payments processor Interswitch announced the launch of Google Pay in Nigeria, making the service available to eligible Mastercard cardholders who use Android devices.

To use the service, cardholders add a supported Mastercard to the Google Pay app and tap their phone at any contactless‑enabled point‑of‑sale terminal, where a unique digital credential generated by Mastercard’s tokenisation technology replaces the card details.

The tokenisation layer ensures that merchants never see the underlying card number, enhancing security for both consumers and merchants.

Interswitch linked multiple issuing banks to the tokenisation and processing infrastructure required for the service, establishing the connectivity needed for tap‑to‑pay and wallet‑based payments.

Kari Tukur, Mastercard’s country manager for West Africa, said the partnership combines mobile‑payment convenience with the security of tokenisation, reflecting growing consumer expectations for simple and safe payment experiences.

Olumide Balogun, Google’s country director for West Africa, described the rollout as a strategic priority, noting that the wallet makes everyday transactions faster and safer while removing the need to carry physical cards.

Nigeria’s digital‑transaction volume reached 11.2 billion in 2026, valued at over ₦1.07 quadrillion, underscoring a market that is rapidly shifting from cash to electronic payments.

Google Pay adds a tokenised card‑overlay wallet to a market dominated by telecom‑led mobile‑money platforms and app‑based fintech services, offering a complementary option rather than a direct competitor to stored‑value wallets.

The companies did not disclose which issuing banks are live at launch, how many cardholders are currently eligible, or the commercial terms of the arrangement, leaving the scale of the rollout unclear.