Optimus Bank: Offering Convenience, Expanding Financial Inclusion

As Nigeria’s banking landscape becomes increasingly digital, customers are demanding greater accessibility, flexibility and security. Optimus Bank is responding with a range of card solutions designed to simplify everyday transactions, expand financial access and meet customers’ payment needs, writes Omolabake Fasogbon

As Nigeria’s financial ecosystem continues to evolve, customers are increasingly seeking banking solutions that combine convenience, accessibility and flexibility with the security expected of modern financial services.

Against this backdrop, Optimus Bank has continued to strengthen its digital banking proposition with payment card products designed to meet customers at different points of their financial journey, enabling seamless transactions across everyday purchases, online platforms and, for eligible customers, international markets.

Beyond facilitating payments, the bank’s card portfolio reflects a broader commitment to expanding financial inclusion by giving customers greater choice in how they transact and manage their finances.

From Naira-denominated cards for everyday payments to Visa products offering broader transaction capabilities and a dollar-denominated option for customers with international needs, Optimus Bank is positioning its card solutions as tools for participation in an increasingly cashless and digitally connected economy.

Recognising the changing needs of customers, Optimus Bank developed a range of card products designed to support customers across different levels of banking needs.

Payment Solutions

From its Naira-denominated Verve and Visa Gold cards to its US dollar-denominated Visa Platinum card, the bank’s card portfolio provides customers with options for local transactions, online payments and international spending.

For customers looking for a straightforward payment solution for everyday banking, the Optimus Bank Verve Naira Card provides access across major transaction channels, including ATMs, web platforms and point-of-sale terminals. The card is accepted by merchants and platforms such as Glovo, Adobe, Shein Nigeria, Oraimo, Netflix and Spotify, giving customers the flexibility to pay for a range of goods and services without relying solely on cash.

The Verve card is available to Tier 1–3 account holders, with daily transaction limits of up to N100,000 on ATMs, subject to a cumulative weekly limit of N500,000, and up to N1.5 million daily on POS and web transactions.

For customers whose needs extend beyond everyday local transactions, Optimus Bank’s Visa Gold Naira Card provides additional features and international functionality.

Also, Optimus Bank Visa Gold Naira Card was designed for Tier 3 Naira account holders seeking broader payment capabilities. Beyond its use for local transactions, the card is enabled for cross-border transactions and usage abroad, as well as local and international subscription payments. Customers also have access to Visa Travel Assist and 24-hour global customer assistance services from Visa. The card additionally provides buyer protection and access to discounts offered by participating Visa merchant partners, including Booking.com, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Agoda and RentalCars.

The Visa Gold card provides transaction limits of up to N100,000 daily on ATM withdrawals, with a cumulative weekly limit of N500,000, while POS and web transactions can reach N3 million daily. Its cross-border/international limit is $25,000 per quarter.

This combination makes the card particularly relevant to customers whose financial activities increasingly extend beyond Nigeria’s borders.

For customers who require a card denominated in US dollars, Optimus Bank offers the Visa Platinum USD Card, targeted at Tier 3 USD account holders. The card provides international payment functionality while giving customers access to a number of Visa services and benefits.

Cardholders can access 24-hour global customer assistance services, Visa Travel Assist, buyer protection, YQ Meet and Assist, and extended warranty benefits.

The card is also enabled for international subscription payments, providing customers with a convenient payment option for services billed outside Nigeria. Its international orientation is further reflected in access to discounts from participating Visa merchant partners, including the Visa Luxury Hotel Collection, Booking.com, Bookingbash, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Agoda and RentalCars.

The Visa Platinum USD Card allows ATM withdrawals of up to $1,000 daily, or its equivalent in other currencies, while POS and web transactions are subject to a daily limit of $5,000.

A key feature of Optimus Bank’s card offering is the variety of options available to customers. The Verve Naira Card caters to everyday local payments and digital commerce, while the Visa Gold Naira Card extends the customer’s reach to cross-border transactions, international subscriptions and additional Visa services.

For customers with dollar accounts and more international financial requirements, the Visa Platinum USD Card provides a dollar-denominated payment option with international services and benefits. This tiered approach allows customers to select a card based on their individual financial needs rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach.

Offering Customers Flexibility

The Chief Digital Officer of Optimus Bank, Biodun Alli, said the bank incorporated technology into its card services to make the request and activation process more suitable for customers.

“Optimus Bank has incorporated technology to improve customer experience by making card request and activation seamless via the Optiverse mobile application,” Alli added.

According to him, customers have the flexibility to initiate card requests through the application and choose between home delivery and branch pickup, depending on their preference.

“Customers have the option of initiating card requests by choosing home delivery or branch pickup. Customers can either pick up the card themselves or nominate a proxy to pick up the card on their behalf,” he added.

Alli further said the bank’s cards were designed to support multiple digital payment channels, providing customers with access to different transaction platforms.

He listed the channels as ATM withdrawals, Point-of-Sale (PoS) payments and online purchases and e-commerce transactions.

The Chief Digital Officer said the bank’s technology-driven approach was aimed at ensuring that customers could access and use their cards conveniently across different payment environments.

He said the bank is also paying particular attention to security as card usage and digital transactions continued to expand.

“Card fraud and cybercrime remain major concerns for Nigerian consumers. At Optimus Bank, card platforms are built around multiple security layers of protection designed to reduce fraud risk and give customers immediate control over their cards,” Alli added.

He explained that the bank’s card platforms incorporated secure transaction protocols covering ATM, POS and online payments.

According to him, the security architecture also includes One-Time Password (OTP) authentication and other verification measures for digital transactions.

Alli noted that OTP authentication and other verification measures were deployed to help prevent unauthorised use of customers’ cards during digital transactions.

He also stressed the importance of customer awareness in combating financial fraud, noting that technology alone could not eliminate risks associated with phishing, SIM-swap fraud, fake banking applications and social engineering scams.

“Customer awareness and fraud prevention controls are an important component of the bank’s approach, he said, adding that customers were actively advised never to share their PINs, passwords or OTPs. The bank also promotes two-factor authentication where applicable,” he explained.

Alli further disclosed that real-time account connectivity had been incorporated into the bank’s card ecosystem to facilitate faster monitoring and detection of suspicious activity.

He said customers could quickly block their accounts through self-service options available on the mobile application or by using the bank’s USSD service.

“Customers can quickly block their account by using self-service options on the mobile app or USSD string,” he said.

He listed the USSD options as *930*911# for self-service and *930*911*Account Number# for third-party account blocking.

Also, the Head, Card Business, Optimus Bank, Seye Balogun, said the bank’s future card strategy would focus on delivering smarter, safer and more seamless payment experiences as Nigeria’s digital economy expands.

“The future of payment cards at Optimus Bank is centered on delivering a smarter, safer, and more seamless payment experience for customers in an increasingly digital economy,” Balogun added.

He said the bank, as a digital-first institution, was continuously evaluating emerging payment technologies and strategic partnerships that could improve convenience, security and accessibility for customers.

“Our vision is to ensure that our cards remain relevant across physical, online, and mobile payment ecosystems,” he said.

According to Balogun, partnerships would remain central to the bank’s strategy as it seeks to expand the functionality and relevance of its card products.

“Partnerships will remain a key part of our strategy. We will continue working with payment networks, fintech partners, and merchants to introduce innovative solutions that simplify everyday payments while maintaining the highest standards of security and reliability,” he said.

He pointed out that the bank’s ambition went beyond issuing payment cards, stressing that the objective was to develop payment solutions that reflected how customers increasingly live, work, shop and transact.

“Our goal is not just to issue cards, but to create payment solutions that align with how customers live, work, shop, and transact today,” Balogun added.

He further noted that the next phase of the bank’s card development would combine convenience with real-time digital control and strong security.

“Ultimately, we see the next evolution of our cards as one that combines convenience, real-time digital control, and robust security, enabling customers to transact with confidence whether they are making purchases online, at a merchant location, or through emerging digital payment channels,” he said.

Indeed, the growth of online shopping, digital subscriptions, travel and cashless payments has changed the way consumers interact with financial institutions.

Optimus Bank’s card portfolio reflects this changing environment by combining traditional ATM and PoS functionality with web payments, subscription payments, merchant acceptance and, where applicable, international transactions.

As Nigeria’s payment ecosystem continues to evolve, payment cards will remain an important part of the country’s broader shift towards convenient, secure and increasingly digital financial services. And for Optimus Bank, its range of Verve, Visa Gold and Visa Platinum USD cards provides customers with different pathways to participate in that evolving financial ecosystem, whether their needs are primarily local, digital, international or a combination of all three.