CashAfrica brings mobile tap-to-pay to Chicken Republic outlets

Nigerian contactless payment provider CashAfrica has teamed up with Food Concepts, the parent company of Chicken Republic, to introduce mobile tap-to-pay at Chicken Republic restaurants throughout Nigeria. The collaboration will enable customers to pay for their meals by tapping their smartphones on compatible payment terminals.

CashAfrica plans to implement the service gradually, starting in Lagos before expanding to Abuja and other locations. Chicken Republic operates over 350 outlets across Nigeria, generating ₦60.9 billion ($45.7 million) in sales in 2023. This partnership aims to accelerate the adoption of tap-to-pay payments in Nigeria by providing a new layer of payment options.

CashAfrica's CEO, Malik Asamu, emphasized that the strategic partnership would deliver a superior payment experience, transitioning Nigerian users and merchants to a new payment landscape. The collaboration follows CashAfrica's recent partnership with ChamsSwitch to address regulatory compliance and transaction-routing challenges, as well as an earlier integration with PalmPay, which began rolling out contactless payment functionality on its point-of-sale (POS) terminals in February 2025.

The CashTap technology used by CashAfrica relies on near-field communication (NFC), a short-range wireless technology that enables devices to exchange data when brought close together. The mobile tap-to-pay feature allows customers to make payments using their phones through supported banking and fintech apps. Customers initiate payments by selecting the tap-to-pay option in their preferred app, authenticating the transaction, and tapping their phone against a compatible POS terminal.

CashAfrica provides the technology that enables the contactless transaction, while PalmPay's POS terminals serve as the payment interface for customers. ChamsSwitch handles the settlement side of the transaction. The partnership with Chicken Republic demonstrates CashAfrica's commitment to expanding its reach across various businesses where customers make in-person payments.

The company aims to introduce the service gradually, initially focusing on the 350-plus Chicken Republic outlets, and later work with additional banks and fintechs to broaden the customer base for mobile tap-to-pay.