Zest Payments Limited, a fintech subsidiary of Stanbic IBTC and part of the Standard Bank Group, has partnered with Huawei Cloud to enhance Nigeria’s digital payments infrastructure and provide stable, scalable, and compliant payment services nationwide.
In a joint statement released Monday, the companies highlighted that the rapid growth of Nigeria’s digital economy has made secure and reliable payment systems critical for businesses ranging from micro-merchants and SMEs to large corporations.
The surge in transaction volumes and user demand on the Zest platform has placed pressure on traditional IT systems, particularly regarding performance, scalability, and regulatory compliance. To address these challenges, Zest adopted Huawei Cloud’s architecture to support its expanding operations.
Commenting on the partnership, Zest CEO Stanley Jacob said it would allow the company to deliver reliable and secure payment services even during peak periods.
“With Huawei Cloud, we can deliver secure, scalable and reliable payment services—even during peak periods—while preparing the platform for future innovation,” Jacob said. “This partnership ensures that our systems meet financial-grade security and compliance standards, giving businesses and consumers confidence in every transaction.”
The collaboration has reportedly led to measurable operational gains, including a 30% improvement in platform performance, a 50% reduction in cloud-related costs, and enhanced system stability. Leveraging Huawei Cloud’s integrated security framework and local support, Zest has maintained uninterrupted operations while staying fully compliant with Central Bank of Nigeria and PCI-DSS standards.
Jacob added, “The true value of this collaboration is that it allows us to innovate confidently, expand services securely and support the broader financial sector in Nigeria. Technology is the bridge between businesses and the future of the digital economy.”
Looking ahead, Zest said it plans to explore AI-driven innovations with Huawei Cloud to build a more open, intelligent, and resilient fintech platform, aligning with Nigeria’s digital economy objectives and promoting a more connected and inclusive financial ecosystem.
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