CashAfrica, a contactless payment infrastructure startup, is partnering with Nigerian fast-food chain and quick-service restaurant brand Chicken Republic to drive mainstream adoption of its tap-to-pay services in Nigeria.
The deal was sealed at a signing ceremony in Lagos today. The first rollout will take place at 54 Chicken Republic branches in Lagos, then spread to the chain’s other 296 branches across 25 states.
“Food is one of the easiest ways to influence customer behaviour. If contactless payment meets them where they get food, it will increase participation in the contactless economy,” Malik Asamu, CEO of CashAfrica, says.
The company, co-founded with Bello Opeyemi in 2024, reached 100,000 transactions by the end of 2025. It believes that several partnerships could unlock a potential user pool of 30 million.
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Previously, it partnered with Palmpay for its beta testing, during which it saw an influx of youths aged 20 to 30. It claims that 90% of its first-time users turn to tap-to-pay as their preferred payment channel when available.
CashAfrica’s tap-to-pay services are available to merchants across NFC-enabled POS terminals, mom-and-pop shops, fuel stations, supermarkets, etc. According to the company, it is free for customers, and merchants pay fees depending on their volume, ranging from 0.3% to 1.5%.
Globally, Mastercard data shows that contactless transactions make up more than 75% of all in-person card transactions worldwide, but the reverse is true in Sub-Saharan African markets.
“This is a strategic partnership to take mobile tap-to-pay mainstream… It delivers a whole new layer of payment possibility,” added Asamu.
Another startup raising awareness is Touch and Pay Technologies, a Y Combinator-backed company that partners with the Lagos State Government to enable BRT buses and trains to use the technology.
Speaking on the partnership, Mr Solomon Ojelade, Head of Finance for Chicken Republic, added, “We continuously look for ways to make every meal faster, easier, and more convenient. Our partnership with CashAfrica brings that commitment into the payment experience.”
Contactless payments face adoption challenges because of low consumer and merchant awareness and fears of fraud surrounding no-PIN transactions.
CashAfrica says its transactions complete in under a minute and is designed for both high- and low-latency networks and includes anti-fraud measures. Asamu believes that, with partnerships, contactless payments can go mainstream in Nigeria in eight months and in Africa in 18 months.
The company plans to partner with more leading fintechs and banks before the end of the year.