PalmPay adds night-time verification option for transfers

PalmPay has launched NightGuard, a security feature that allows customers to add an extra verification requirement to transfers made during hours they choose, the fintech company said in a statement on Saturday. The feature is available through PalmPay’s upgraded Security Centre. Customers can set a protection window between 11 p.m.

and 7 a.m., after which transfer attempts will require additional verification before they are completed. PalmPay said the feature was introduced as digital payments become more integrated into everyday transactions in Nigeria. It cited continuing risks including scams, impersonation and unauthorised access to accounts.

“While fraud can happen at any time, there are situations where a compromised or lost phone can create additional risks at night,” Femi Hanson, PalmPay Nigeria’s head of marketing, said in the statement. Hanson said giving customers control over when extra verification is required could provide another layer of protection. The company said NightGuard was intended particularly for periods when unusual account activity might be less likely to be noticed.

PalmPay said the tool allows users to apply the additional check during a defined period rather than requiring it for every transfer. It forms part of the security tools available through the company’s Security Centre. The fintech also said customer education remained an important part of its efforts to improve digital-payment security.

The statement did not provide details of the specific verification method used by NightGuard or disclose how many customers had activated the feature.