Nigerian financial institution Diamond Bank has announced that it is going to allow users to it mobile app to log in using the Touch ID fingerprint scanner found on all new mobile Apple devices. Diamond Bank claims to be the first bank in Africa to use Touch ID authentication for its app.
Speaking in a press release, Diamond Bank communications executive Ayona Trimnell emphasized the security and convenience of the biometric security system, saying that the bank is committed to being an industry leader “in offering technological solutions that make banking an exciting, convenient and secure experience for our customers.” The development could give the company a real leg-up in the country, which has proven to be an eCommerce giant on the continent, and may prove to offer one of the largest mCommerce markets as well. Given the popularity of such services, and the growing ubiquity of fingerprint-scanning security systems such as the Touch ID, Diamond Bank’s innovation could make its services very popular.
Nigeria has also shown itself to be very forward-thinking country in the adoption of biometric security more broadly. Last fall its central bank announced an initiative that would require all Nigerians to enrol in a national biometric registry in order to do banking in the country, while earlier in the year government officials announced plans to employ a biometric registration system in the country’s next census. Given the country’s apparent enthusiasm for the technology, it’s only natural that private retail banks like Diamond Bank would embrace the convenience of Touch ID for their customers; we can expect more to follow.
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