The renowned taxi hailing service, Little Cab, has joined forces with Absa Bank Kenya and the digital payments giant Visa to enhance the efficiency of their services. This groundbreaking collaboration introduces a Near Field Communication (NFC) payment feature, aiming to simplify and expedite the payment process for Little App taxis. By leveraging a basic Android smartphone, drivers can now accept card payments, marking an innovative stride towards convenience and ease-of-use.

The era of grappling for cash or wrestling with conventional card machines has come to an end. Little App’s innovative platform harnesses the power of Absa’s Mobi Tap app, transforming an ordinary smartphone into a point-of-sale (POS) device. Consequently, customers can effortlessly tap their contactless debit or credit cards on the Android device held by the driver to finalize payments.

“The introduction of the NFC payment feature, as asserted by Mr. Kamal Budhabatti, CEO of Little App, underscores our commitment to redefining convenience and efficiency in the ride-hailing industry. With Visa’s renowned expertise amalgamated with Absa’s local insights, we confidently anticipate a substantial improvement in our users’ payment experience.”

With simplicity as its guiding principle, we designed the NFC payment feature. After the driver enters a transaction amount and customers place their contactless card beneath his/her phone—briefly holding it for an established connection—Little App sends a confirmation message to customers about the finalized transaction. This notification empowers them to verify successful payment with the driver on that completed transactional exchange.

Elizabeth Wasunna-Ochwa, the Business Banking Director of Absa Bank Kenya PLC, lauds the new payment feature as a pioneering market solution. She underscores its integration of cutting-edge security measures – offering taxi drivers an assured and trustworthy platform for receiving payments. “Partnerships that expedite convenience, velocity, and safety in our customers’ business transactions are commitments we at Absa pledge to under our innovation agenda,” she affirms further.

The Absa Mobi Tap App empowers drivers on Little Cab: they can accept payments—whether debit, credit, or prepaid card-based—directly through their phones. This feature not only speeds up transactions for consumers but also guarantees that drivers remain abreast of the most recent payment trends.

Expressing enthusiasm about the collaboration, Eva Ngigi-Sarwari, Visa Kenya’s Country Manager, articulated her excitement. “Through this partnership, any Little App driver—without needing to purchase a separate POS machine—can start accepting card payments on their NFC-enabled smartphone. As we continue expanding access to digital payment options, our anticipation intensifies for enabling all drivers within the Little App ecosystem.”

Little App, with its innovative approach to mobility, delivery, and payments, actively operates in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Somalia, Senegal, Ghana, and India. This establishment sets the stage for a new era within the ride-hailing industry—an era continually shaped by advancing technology that is poised, particularly through NFC payment features, not only for Kenyan markets but also beyond, offering convenience coupled with unparalleled security.