OLX, the biggest online classified platform that connects buyers and sellers, said it has taken further steps in addressing online fraud in Nigeria's emerging e-Commerce business.

Country Manager for OLX, Mrs. Lola Masha, who stated this at a security forum jointly organised by OLX and Mobile Monday in Lagos recently, said the decision became necessary, in order to protect every customer doing legitimate business on the e-Commerce space.

OLX partnered Mobile Monday Nigeria (MoMo), a global community of mobile industry developers, designers and influential individuals who facilitate cross-border business cooperation and development in a security conference, themed “Making E-commerce More Secure in Nigeria”.

According to Masha, some of the security steps taken, included having a business alliance with Credit Registry Services, which is a Credit Bureau that has data and statistics of financial customers; strengthening security requirements on product verification before uploading the products online; and the collaboration with the Nigerian Police on security matters.

The need to partner Credit Registry Services, is to depend on its statics and data of customers on the website of credit bureau, in order to information on the financial behavioural pattern of customers on Credit Registry Services, that may also be substantial customer to OLX. The need for Nigeria to have a single harmonised database system, where information of people could be sourced, becomes absolutely necessary in monitoring the behaviour patterns of customers who trade on the OLX platform, Masha said.

The need to step up security measures on every online transaction, using the OLX platform, was informed by the increasing rate of online fraud in the e-Commece space, where people's credit and debit cards are cloned and used for online transactions without the knowledge of the card holder.

According to Masha, “the partnership with MoMo is to further enhance OLX commitment to keeping the site safe and secure for its users.”

She added that “working closely with the Nigeria Police Force, OLX has been able to apprehend two scammers on the site showing our dedication to keeping OLX users safe and ensuring that every user experiences a smooth transaction on the site.”

Other speakers at the forum, include the Manager, Strategy and Alliances, Interswitch, Ope Adeoye, CEO/CTO INITS Limited, Femi Taiwo; and MD/CEO, CR Services, Jameelah Ayedun.

Speaking on the need for collaboration, Ayedun said the e-Commerce space in Nigeria is fast growing and would need proper protection of genuine users of the all e-Commerce platforms, through the use of data. She said CR Services saw the huge need for data collection in Nigeria, hence it established its presence and would be ready to collaborate with every organisation that depend largely on data. She described the e-Commerce space in Nigeria as a new vista for online retailers and that OLX is championing the way by empowering OLX users to conduct more accountable business transactions.

“We are delighted to partner with OLX towards providing a safe and secure way through which more people can transact business online," Ayedun said.
The Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Charles Okafor stated that “the Nigerian Police Force is actively working with OLX to ensure online offenders (scammers) are caught and brought to justice”. He also commended OLX on their dedication to keeping their site safe for Nigerian citizens.

OLX is the world’s leading classifieds platform in growth markets and is available in more than 40 countries and over 50 languages. OLX connects local people to buy, sell or exchange used goods and services by making it fast and easy for anyone to post an ad through the mobile app. Every month, hundreds of millions of people in local markets around the world use OLX’s online marketplace to find and sell a wide range of products, including vehicles, electronics, phones and much more.

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