₦airaland Forum

Are you a young, outspoken Nigerian student interested in building a career in Tech? Do you think you have what it takes to be the voice and face of Launch on your campus? If your answer is in the affirmative then the Launch Campus Ambassador Program is for you.

We are currently seeking talents in campuses across Nigeria who will be proud representatives of Launch and work closely with us in creating awareness and promoting Launch’s services within their respective campuses.

First, what is Launch?

Launch is a business registration product designed by Nigerian fintech company, Vella Finance, that aims to provide MSMEs in Nigeria with essential tools required to start, grow and scale their business. Since launched in November 2022, we have helped a plethora of business owners in Nigeria to register their corporate entities with the Corporate Affairs Commission for N18,000 and N50,000 (LTD). Coupled with helping businesses get registered, Launch also equips these business owners with tools and resources that support business growth seamlessly. These tools include;

- A business bank account
- An ecommerce store
- Access to a seamless customer management system.
- Unlimited access to our Invoice and Payment Link products.
- Tailored training for business growth via Webinars, Twitter spaces etc.
- Access to credit facilities i.e. Loans and Overdrafts

The Launch Campus Ambassador Program

We understand that while being a student can be demanding, you might also be seeking new opportunities outside of the classroom to explore possible career options, gain useful skills and earn money. Our new initiative, The Launch Campus Ambassador Program, ticks all three boxes as it will offer an exciting and rewarding experience for you as a student. The Launch Campus Ambassador Program is set to provide you with a golden opportunity to develop transferable soft skills, receive hands-on experience in marketing and earn extra money on the side.

What are my responsibilities as a Launch Campus Ambassador?

As a Launch Campus ambassador, you will;

- Become the primary point of contact between Launch and your campus community
- Spread awareness about Launch within your campus in an authentic and meaningful way via word of mouth and social media posts.
- Educate the student community about Launch and its benefits.
- Promote Launch online and offline during social gatherings/events within campus.
- Identify fresh and creative ways to integrate Launch into the student life on Campus.

What are the Requirements to become a launch campus ambassador?

Applicants must;

- Be enrolled at a tertiary institution in Nigeria e.g University, Polytechnic etc.
- Possess good leadership skills and be open to learning
- Be outspoken and have an interest in product marketing.
- Be enthusiastic about teamwork and collaboration.

What You Stand To Gain As a Launch Campus Ambassador

- Financial incentive.
- A Launch branded merch
- Internship opportunities at Vella
- Opportunity to gain relevant skills for today’s workforce.

How You Can Apply

Interested in becoming a Launch campus ambassador? Please fill the application form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdTIEpyOdZMQtQg4grIA8Z-faZ79ZK-JYXKDVchca-NBnoI-w/viewform and we would be in touch with you.

For further enquiries and information about the program, please send us an email- launch@vella.finance.

If you are considering starting a small business or you currently run one, it is important to note that opening a business account is a vital step in the early phase of your business. In today’s article, we will highlight the key benefits of a business account for your small business and also provide a step-by-step guide on how you can open a business account from the comfort of your home or place of business.

What is a business account?

According to Investopedia, a business account is a checking account set up specifically for business incomes and outflows, allowing individuals to keep their professional financial affairs and transactions separate from their personal ones. In Nigeria today, most entrepreneurs overlook the importance of opening a business account when starting a business and resort to using their personal account for business transactions.

Key Benefits of a Business Account For SMEs

Although a personal and business account share many similarities, a business account offers your small business a range of benefits that support growth in the long run.

Here are 4 key benefits of having a corporate bank account;

- Having a business account builds credibility for your business

- You can separate your personal and business finances easily

- Easy and proper monitoring and tracking of business transactions

- It gives your business a professional image that increases trust in potential customers

Open a Business Account for Your Small Business Today.

Unlike traditional banks that require a lot of paperwork and your physical presence at the bank, Vella provides a quick, secure and seamless way to open a business account for your small business from the comfort of your home. Through Vella, SMEs, freelancers, entrepreneurs and creatives can now open business accounts for business transactions without any hassle.

To open a business account on Vella, the first thing you have to do is switch to a business account and complete your KYB. This will require your business information and certain business documents that include; Certified copy of memorandum and Article of Association, Certificate of Incorporation/Certificate of Business Registration, Proof of Business Address (Dated within the last 3 months), Tax Identification Number (TIN)/EIN/SSN among others.

Ready to open a business account, please follow these simple steps;

On web

- Visit our website and login to your Vella account

- On the left side of your screen, Tap home and select compliance

- Tap switch to business account

- Enter the required details of your business

- Upload clear images of required business documents

- Input basic information of the director of the business

- Tap Continue

On Mobile

- Login to your Vella account

- At the bottom of your screen, tap Settings icon

- Select switch to business account and proceed with your KYB

- Input important details of your business e.g. Registration number, Trading name etc.

- Upload clear images of required business documents

- Enter the basic information of director(s) in the business

- Tap Submit

Once you have fulfilled all requirements, you will see a notification that reads “Verification in progress”. Once your KYB has been verified, you will be issued a business account with the account details displayed on your dashboard automatically.

Now you can open a business account easily and start forwarding the details to your paying customers.

For entrepreneurs who run an unregistered business, Vella offers an amazing business registration service, Launch, that helps small and medium sized businesses register their corporate entities with the Corporate Affairs Commission for 18,000 Naira. You can read more about our business registration service Here

For more information on our products and business growth tips, follow us on Medium or any of our social media channels @VellaFinance

In September 2022, many commercial banks in Nigeria such as FirstBank, Guaranty Trust Bank, Zenith Bank etc. suspended the use of naira cards for international transactions, which left thousands of Nigerians disappointed as many relied on this mode of payment for subscription renewals on music & movies streaming sites, online shopping and making payment for services.

The recent announcement made by Wema bank regarding lifting the suspension on naira cards for international transactions has left many Nigerians across the country hopeful as other commercial banks in Nigeria are expected to follow suit. For many Nigerians, the naira card is a convenient means of making payment on local and international platforms.

Although the naira card is a convenient means of making payment, a major disadvantage is the absence of security during online transactions as you are expected to enter sensitive details of your naira debit card (Security, card number & expiry date) on local and international platforms to complete payment for a service.

Why Virtual Naira Cards Are A Better Alternative

A virtual Naira card is the same as a physical card except that it is stored digitally. Virtual naira cards offer a plethora of advantages over physical naira cards. First, a virtual naira card eliminates the need to carry large sums of money around as it is stored digitally. Secondly, a virtual naira card offers more security as you can use it for online transactions without risking the sensitive details of your physical naira card. Other benefits include the ability to set spending limits and track expenses.

How To Create A Virtual Naira Card on Vella

The Vella virtual Naira card is the perfect alternative designed to make online payment fast, simple and secure. It is issued with a 16-digit card number, Card holder’s name, Security and expiry date.

Once you create an account on Vella, you can request a virtual naira or dollar card to make instant payment on local and international platforms that accept Verve and Mastercard. These include Flywire, Netflix, Apple Music, AliExpress, Microsoft etc.

Creating a virtual Naira card on Vella is simple, instant and affordable as the card creation fee costs 150 Naira. Vella also enables users to create multiple cards for different purposes and fund with a minimum of 1000 Naira.

You can create a virtual naira card on Vella by following these simple steps;

- Login to your Vella account

- Tap Vella Card on your dashboard

- Tap Create a new card and select Virtual Card

- Select your preferred color, card type and brand

- Enter your preferred card label i.e. You can name your card based on its purpose e.g. Netflix

- Tap request card and fund your card (Min — 1000 Naira)

- Choose wallet to fund from ( NGN/NGNT)

- Tap Continue

Your virtual Naira card will be created instantly and you can use it to make payment for services on platforms that accept Verve.

Although you are reading this article because you are interested in creating a virtual Naira card for online payments, we also help businesses receive USD payment in Nigeria without any stress.

You can sign up on Vella or login to your existing account to create your virtual Naira card instantly.

For more information on our products and business growth tips, follow us on Medium or any of our social media channels @VellaFinance

If you live in Nigeria, there are a plethora of reasons why you might need to convert your naira to dollars. Peradventure you want to relocate abroad, make payment on an international site or you simply want to save your naira in a stable currency (USD) to escape the devaluation of naira, it is essential that you use a reliable and secure platform that allows you to convert your naira to dollars and other foreign currencies easily without any hassle.

Before the introduction of fintech services, individuals and business owners relied on converting currencies manually via commercial banks and sometimes the black market. Today, there are numerous fintech platforms like Wise, Currency Fair that allow people to convert currencies online from the comfort of their homes. In today’s article, you will learn about our Swap feature and how it enables seamless currency conversions.

Our currency conversion feature Swap enables individuals, business owners, creatives and freelancers to convert currencies for local and international transactions seamlessly and in real time. Using Swap, individuals and business owners are able to convert naira to dollars, naira to pounds, dollars to bitcoin and perform other currency conversions instantly.

What other currencies can I convert on Vella?

Our Swap feature covers a range of supported currencies that allows users to convert currencies instantly for online transactions. Some of these supported currencies include;

- NGN * GBP

- BTC * USDT

- USDT * NGN

- NGNT * USDT

- BUSD * USDC

- NGNT * BUSD

- GBP * NGN

What are the exchange rates on Vella?

It is common knowledge that exchange rates fluctuate in response to economic and political changes hence we cannot give a fixed rate in this post. However, you can always log into your Vella account to check the exchange rates before any conversion. To do this simply,

- Log into your Vella account

- Tap on the Wallet icon (3rd icon below your dashboard)

- On the upper right part of your screen, tap “Today’s rates”

How can I convert my Naira to Dollars on Vella?

To convert your Naira to Dollars on our website, simply;

- Visit our website and login to your Vella account

- Tap View Wallet on your dashboard

- Select Swap

- Select the currencies for conversion i.e NGN/USDT

- Enter the amount for conversion

- Authorize the conversion by ticking the confirmation box

- Complete conversion by tapping Swap

- Once your swap is successful, the value will be remitted to your USDT wallet instantly.

On Mobile

- Log into your Vella account

- Tap on the Wallet icon (3rd icon below your dashboard)

- Select Swap

- Select the currencies for conversion i.e. NGN/USDT

- Enter the amount for conversion

- Authorize the conversion by ticking the confirmation box

- Complete conversion by tapping Swap

Once your swap is successful, the value will be remitted to your USDT wallet instantly.

Currency conversions on Vella are instant and secure. Now you can convert currencies for your personal and business purposes seamlessly.

To use our Swap feature, simply Login to your existing Vella account or sign up on Vella for free!

For more information on our products and business growth tips, follow us on Medium or any of our social media channels @VellaFinance

Opening a domiciliary account in Nigeria can be great for your business especially if you perform transactions that involve foreign currencies (USD, GBP, Euro etc.) regularly. If you operate a domiciliary account in Nigeria for personal or business purposes, you are in luck for finding today’s article because it will explore the quickest way you can fund your domiciliary account in Nigeria.

Unlike your regular bank account that is restricted to sending and receiving just one currency which is the Naira, a domiciliary bank account is a foreign currency denominated account that allows you to save, send, receive and carry out transactions in foreign currencies like United State Dollar (USD) , Great British Pound (GBP), Euro etc.

There are two types of domiciliary accounts which are current domiciliary account, suitable for businesses who carry out international transactions regularly like sending and receiving foreign currencies and a savings domiciliary account, suitable for individuals or businesses who need an account to save foreign currencies and also make withdrawals using a bank teller.

Dompay: The Quickest Way To Fund Your Domiciliary Account in Nigeria

Although a domiciliary account can be highly beneficial to your business, a major disadvantage to having a domiciliary account is funding as this involves your physical presence at the bank and some paperwork which can be time-consuming.

We have created the simplest and quickest way to fund your domiciliary account in Nigeria and it is called Dompay. Using Dompay, Individuals, entrepreneurs, freelancers who have domiciliary accounts in Nigeria can fund their domiciliary account and send money to other domiciliary accounts in Nigeria within 24 hours from the comfort of their home or places of business.

How To Send Money To Your Domiciliary Account in Nigeria

On mobile

- Log into your Vella account

- Tap Send Money on your dashboard

- Select Dompay and tap New Payment

- Choose Country, purpose for the transaction and wallet

- Enter the amount to send

- Input the beneficiary bank details

- Enter the beneficiary billing information

- Scan through the transaction summary for any error(s)

- Authorize transaction with your 4-digit pin

On web

- Log into your Vella account

- On your dashboard, click on Send Money Globally

- Select Dompay and Tap New Payment

- Select Country, Purpose for transaction and Wallet

- Enter amount to send

- Enter beneficiary bank details

- Enter beneficiary billing information

- Scan through transaction summary for any errors

- Authorize transaction with your 4-digit pin

Within 8–24 hours, the domiciliary account will be credited!

Currently, this service is only available for customers that have accounts with Access Bank, Fidelity Bank, UBA, Wema Bank, Zenith Bank, Polaris Bank and First Bank.

Now, you can fund your domiciliary account and send money to other domiciliary accounts in Nigeria without any stress.

To access this service, simply Login to your existing Vella account or sign up on Vella for free!

For more information on our products and business growth tips, follow us on Medium or any of our social media channels @VellaFinance

When people hear the word “Save”, the first thing that comes to mind is how they would have to scrutinize and track their spending while denying themselves of so many other things they derive fun and pleasure from.

Today, a lot of people struggle with saving money from their monthly income due to a myriad of reasons that include not earning enough or lack of proper budgeting and although saving money is not exactly easy, it is a smart financial decision that provides a safety net during hard times, helps you to achieve set goals and in some cases, earn interest.

Our saving feature, Vella Vault, is a great way to save money as it affords you the opportunity to save in your local currency (NGN) and a stable international currency (USD).

Using Vella Vault, individuals and business owners are able to save for virtually anything such as a new car, a gadget, school fees, business equipment, travels etc and earn up to 10% interest.

Choose Your Saving Plan Today!

Vella offers savers flexibility when it comes to saving and the best part is you can save from as little as N500. You can choose from our saving plans and earn interest on your preferred plan.

Our saving plans are;

* Save for 3 months and earn 4% interest per annum

* Save for 6 months and earn 6% interest per annum

* Save for 12 months and earn 10% interest per annum

How To Save in Naira on Vella

* Log into your Vella account

* Select Vella Vault on your dashboard

* Choose Save in NGN and tap New Savings

* Enter the reason for saving and amount you would like to save

* Select Wallet

* Choose your preferred saving plan

You will receive an email confirmation and you can sit back and watch your money grow!

How To Save in Dollars on Vella

* Log into your Vella account

* Select Vella Vault on your dashboard

* Choose Save in USD and tap New Savings

* Enter the reason for saving and amount you would like to save

* Select Wallet

* Choose your preferred saving plan

You will receive an email confirmation and you can sit back and watch your money grow!

Now you can achieve your set goals by saving in Naira or Dollars on Vella vault and earning interest while at it.

Ready to start saving? Sign up or login to your account today!

For more information on product updates, effective marketing strategies and business growth tips, follow us on Medium or any of our social media channels @VellaFinance

With the restrictions placed on international transactions using local debit cards, having a corporate USD card for business expenses is paramount particularly if your dealings involve foreign currencies on a regular basis.

A corporate USD card is a non-physical dollar denominated card that enables you to carry out online transactions and sort business expenses easily. With a corporate USD card, you can purchase goods from international online stores and pay/renew your online subscriptions.

There is no doubt that modern day businesses rely on digital tools like software applications and social media platforms to build, advertise and manage their business operations and the majority of these digital tools run a subscription based model that charges users a weekly or monthly fee in order to gain access to their service(s). And that is why having a Vella corporate USD card is a great addition to your business.

Issued by Mastercard, Vella Corporate USD card is a reliable payment tool for online transactions. Using a Vella corporate USD card, business owners are able to make secure payments on platforms like GoDaddy, Slack, LinkedIn Premium, Mailjet, Ali Express, Hosting Platforms, Wise, Coursera, Name cheap and a bunch of other platforms.

This simply means, if you need to renew your Facebook ad subscription or pay for a course on Udemy, Vella corporate USD card is a convenient way to make the payment seamlessly from the comfort of your home or place of business.

The Cool Features of A Vella Corporate USD MasterCard

Accessibility: You can access and use your Corporate USD Mastercard for online transactions at any time of the day.

Card Customization: You can customize your Vella USD Mastercard by choosing your preferred color and giving your card a name that suits its purpose.

No Transaction Limit: Unlike the commercial virtual dollar cards issued by banks, Vella corporate USD Mastercards have no limit on transactions.

Card Withdrawal: You can withdraw from your corporate USD card at any time of the day. However, you must have a minimum of $5 on your card before you can initiate a withdrawal.

Multiple Cards: You can create multiple corporate USD cards for different business purposes.

Freeze Your Card: If you suspect an unauthorized transaction on your card, you can freeze your card and render it ineffective until you are ready to unfreeze it.

Cost-effective and secure: Creating a corporate USD card costs $2 and the sensitive details (Card number, Security & Expiry date) on your card are secure.

Create Your Corporate USD Mastercard in 5 minutes

You can create a corporate USD Mastercard in 5 minutes on Vella to start making payments on international platforms easily.

To begin;

- Log into your Vella account

- On your dashboard, tap Vella Card

- Tap Create New card and select Virtual Card

- Select your preferred card color

- Select the card type, brand and preferred label.

- Tap Request Card and read the vital information

- Enter the amount you would like to fund

- Choose Wallet to fund your card from and tap Continue

Your corporate USD card will be created and you will receive an email confirming the creation of your corporate USD card.

It’s very simple!

Now, you can own a corporate USD Mastercard and make secure payments on international platforms easily.

All you have to do is sign up or login to your account to create yours today!

For more information on product updates, effective marketing strategies and business growth tips, follow us on Medium or any of our social media channels @VellaFinance

Whether you run an online store or a physical store, invoices are a simple way to receive, manage and track payments from your local and international customers.

Investopedia defines an invoice as a document that maintains a record of a transaction between a buyer and seller, such as a paper receipt from a store or online record from an e-tailer.

A professional invoice gives a proper breakdown of a transaction between a buyer and seller as it includes a unique invoice number, clear description of products purchased, costs of products purchased and the terms of payment.

If you are a business owner or a freelancer who sells products or offers services to customers and clients , Vella Invoice is the perfect invoicing solution for you as it enables you to generate an unlimited amount of professional invoices while providing secure and seamless payment options for your paying customer or client based in any part of the world.

Here are a few advantages of using Vella invoice for your business;

1. Create and Share Invoices Instantly: You can generate an invoice for your paying customer or client in less than 3 minutes and share via email, WhatsApp etc.

2. Get Paid faster: Vella helps businesses influence and speed up the payment process by offering customers and clients multiple payment options through which they can make payment for products purchased or services rendered.

3. Receive payment in Multiple currencies: You can create invoices and receive payment in foreign currencies from your international customers easily.

4. Send Reminders Easily: Schedule and send reminders to your customers who might have forgotten to complete the purchase by making payment.

5. Manage payments efficiently: Using Vella Invoice, you can create and track invoices sent to customers with ease.

Here’s how it works;
Let’s say a customer, Ifeoma, orders an Adidas sweatshirt and two pairs of sneakers from your online or physical store. You can simply create and send an invoice stating the items purchased by Ifeoma and the total amount of the transaction.

To create a professional invoice for Ifeoma using Vella, simply;

- Log into your account

- Select Invoice on your dashboard

- Tap Create Invoice

- Select the currency the invoice should be issued in ( NGN, USD, USDT, USDC, BUSD)

- Enter the invoice information: This includes Title, Invoice Number, Date of Invoice and Logo of your business. You can also add a note for the paying customer.

- Provide Billing information: This contains basic information (name, email, phone number, address) of both you and the customer.

- Enter product details: This includes the name of product, quantity, unit price and total cost. You can also include additional information like discount, tax and shipping fee.

- You can preview and edit the invoice incase of any errors.

Once your invoice has been generated, you can simply send it as a link or pdf to the paying customer via email, WhatsApp etc.

To make payment, the customer can simply click on the link, tap “Pay Now” and select the preferred mode of payment.

International customers can simply select “Pay with Card” and tap on “International” to make payment using their international card.

Invoice by Vella aims to simplify invoice processing and management for business owners in Africa. Now you can create, process and track invoices seamlessly.

For more information on product updates, effective marketing strategies and business growth tips, follow us on Medium or any of our social media channels @VellaFinance

If you are a business owner in Nigeria who imports goods from Chinese merchants and suppliers regularly, then you must be familiar with how challenging it can be to send money from Nigeria to China.

The process of sending money from Nigeria to China is not only expensive and time-consuming but it can also be complicated as there are many factors such as unfavorable exchange rates, steep transfer fees, currency conversion fees etc that influence the difficulty in sending money from Nigeria to China.

As a brand that's passionate about helping small to medium sized businesses, we have simplified local and international payments for businesses, individuals and freelancers as they are able to send money to over 80 countries across the globe using our Global Wire Transfer feature and China Merchant feature specifically for payments to China.

Our China Merchant feature is a great way to escape the complications of sending money from Nigeria to China. Through this feature, individuals and businesses are able to send money from Nigeria to Chinese merchants and suppliers without any hassle.

The best part is that our China Merchant service enables individuals, business owners and importers to send Naira while the bank account of the merchant or supplier in China gets credited in Yuan.

How To Send Money From Nigeria To China using Vella
Sending money from Nigeria to China using Vella is very easy and seamless as it does not require any paperwork or a cumbersome process.

To begin, all you have to do is;

- Log into your Vella account
- Select "Send Money" under Payments on your dashboard
- Tap China Merchant
- Click New Payment
- Select Payment method, purpose and Wallet
- Enter the transaction amount
- Provide the Merchant Information
- Scan through transaction summary
- Enter your 4-digit transaction pin to confirm payment

Your payment will be sent!

Sending money from Nigeria to your merchants and suppliers in China is easy, secure and seamless with Vella.

To start enjoying our china merchant service, simply login or sign up today!

For more information on product updates, effective marketing strategies and business growth tips, follow us on Medium or any of our social media channels @VellaFinance

“Is CAC business registration a scam?” - A question that continues to linger and fuel skepticism amongst small to medium sized business owners in Nigeria who still run unregistered businesses.

While some business owners currently enjoy the benefits attached to registering their business with the Corporate Affairs Commission, many business owners still downplay and ignore the importance of registering their business with CAC and then continue to run unregistered businesses online and offline.

The Corporate Affairs Commission is a regulatory body, established to regulate the incorporation, running and winding up of companies, business names and incorporated trustees, in accordance with CAMA. If you run a business in Nigeria, it is expected that you register your business with the Corporate Affairs Commission.

Aside from being mandated by the government, registering your business with the Corporate Affairs Commission is very essential as it gives you access to an array of benefits that support growth and continuity in your business.

Few of these benefits include;

Access to business loans and financial support: A registered business qualifies you for credit facilities and financial support from governmental and non-governmental bodies that can help you launch your business idea or scale new heights in your existing business.

Protection of business name: By registering your business with the Corporate Affairs Commission, you automatically protect your trademark from being used by other business entities particularly if your brand has become a household name in your industry.

Increases customer trust and brand credibility: With a registered business, the perception of your brand is enhanced and this can help build confidence in customers and investors who decide to do business with you.

A business bank account: To open a corporate bank account in any commercial bank in Nigeria, a business certificate is required. Registering your business with CAC makes it easy to open a business bank account as a certificate is issued after registration.

Launch: Register your business with CAC for N18,000

Launch is a business registration service designed to help entrepreneurs in Nigeria kickstart their entrepreneurial dreams. Through Launch, small to medium sized businesses in Nigeria can register as a business name and Limited liability company for N18,000 and N50,000 respectively.

A major advantage to registering your business with CAC through Launch is CAC certificates are issued within 5 days coupled with a bunch of benefits such as;

1. A free business bank account for corporate use.

2. Access to business loans of up to 20 million naira to fund or grow your business.

3. Invoices and Payment links to receive local and international payments from customers.

4. A free ecommerce store to showcase your products and services

5. Tailored trainings that are organized to educate and give you effective ways to grow your business.

The first step to ensuring your business is properly structured and qualified for legitimate funding is by registering your business with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

Register your small or medium sized business today by visiting our website to begin your application - https://launch.vella.finance/

For more enquiries on our business registration service, Launch, kindly send an email to launch@vella.finance.

Today, the 8th of March, we join millions of women across the globe to celebrate International Women’s Day.

International Women’s Day is a special annual celebration that honors the social, economic, political and cultural achievements of women all over the world.

The day doubles as a day to celebrate and increase support for women while also drawing attention to pressing issues such as discrimination, gender inequality, harassment, reproductive rights etc. that continue to affect women globally.

According to The United Nations, the theme for IWD 2023 is;

"DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality".

The theme aims to applaud and shine the spotlight on women for their immense contribution to technology and online education and bring attention to the impact of digital gender gap on widening economic and social inequalities.

In the spirit of celebrating International Women's Day, we would be highlighting interesting and notable facts about this special day.

Here are a few things you didn’t know about International Women’s Day;

1. The first International Women’s Day was held on the 19th of March, 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland.

2. The United Nations recognized and started celebrating International Women’s Day on the 8th of March in 1975

3. Each year, the United Nations announces a theme in honor of the IWD celebration. The theme of IWD2022 was “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”

4. In a few countries like Albania, Serbia, Uzbekistan, Macedonia etc, International Women’s Day is combined with Mother’s Day celebrations.

5. The colors of International Women’s Day festivities are purple which symbolizes justice and dignity; Green which symbolizes hope and white which represents purity.

6. IWD celebration remains a public holiday in countries such as Cambodia, Russia, Vietnam, Ukraine etc.

7. In China, women are granted half a day off work by employers as a way of honoring the day.

There is no doubt that International Women’s Day has continued to be a force of change for women across the globe as it speaks against the discrimination and inequality faced by women and girls around the world.

And on that note, we say Happy International Women’s Day!

Everyone loves streaming the latest songs and that’s why Apple Music is unarguably one of the best online music streaming platforms with millions of users in Nigeria.

Apple Music is an online music streaming platform owned by Apple Inc. that enables users to stream the latest songs, download their favorite tracks, listen to existing playlists and have access to a bunch of other exciting features.

Although Apple Music gives its users access to stream millions of songs on the platform, it is subscription based and users are expected to select their preferred music plan and renew their subscription easily by making the stipulated amount monthly.

Today, many Nigerians still struggle with renewing their Apple Music subscriptions because most debit cards issued by commercial banks do not work and users who resort to paying via virtual dollar/naira cards issued by some fintech platforms encounter issues during payment.

Last year, we upgraded our virtual dollar/naira card service and particularly paid attention to the issues previously encountered in the past by our users. Now, our virtual dollar/naira cards are a reliable means of making payment on your favorite online stores, music and movies streaming platforms etc.

Add Vella Mastercard To Your Apple Account
An Apple ID and a valid payment method are required to purchase games & apps from the Apple store, subscribe to Apple online services like Apple Music, iCloud+ and buy other forms of media Apple offers.

Adding a valid and reliable payment method like Vella Mastercard is all you need to make in-app purchases on Apple and renew subscriptions seamlessly.

To add Vella Mastercard as a payment method on your Apple account, the first step is to change your location to the US as all our virtual dollar cards are registered to the United States of America.

To change your location and add Vella Mastercard as a payment method;

- Visit https://appleid.apple.com/ and sign into your account.

-Tap “Personal information”

-Click “Country/Region”

- Tap “Change country/Region” and change your Country/Region to the United States of America.

- Click on Payment methods

- Add your Vella Mastercard as a payment method

Voila!

Now you can make in-app purchases on Apple Store, pay for Apple music and all other forms of Apple media from the comfort of your home or office.

For more information on product updates, effective marketing strategies and business growth tips, follow us on Medium and our social media channels @VellaFinance

Freelancing has become a convenient way through which people earn a living.

A study shows that 1.57 billion people, which is almost 47% in the global workforce, make money from monetizing their skill(s) without committing to an employer or organization long-term.

According to Investopedia, a freelancer is an individual who earns money on a per-job or per-task basis, usually for short-term work as an independent contractor. More often than not, freelancers work for multiple clients simultaneously and earn income per task assigned to them.

In Nigeria today, the freelance industry continues to experience rapid growth as more people, especially Millennials and Gen Z seek flexible working schedules and convenience. Through freelancing, people have total control of their time, workspace and most importantly an opportunity to create and negotiate work terms to the prospective client.

With freelance platforms like LinkedIn, People Per Hour, ServiceScape, Upwork, Fiverr, Craigslist etc making it easy for freelancers to connect with employers or clients in need of their skills, getting a freelance job in various fields like content writing, digital marketing, graphic designing etc. have become very easy.

How To Receive International Payment As A Freelancer in Nigeria

Integrated on Vella’s platform is an array of products and services that cater to cross-border payments for individuals, business owners, freelancers and remote workers in Nigeria. With Vella, receiving payment from your international clients is seamless and there are numerous ways through which you can receive international payment;

Payment Link: Whether you offer an online or offline freelance service, payment links are a simple way to receive payment from your local and international clients. Vella provides payment links that enable freelancers in Nigeria to receive both local and international payments. Put simply, if you freelance for a client based in the US, you can easily generate a payment link on Vella for your client to make payment for your service with his/her preferred payment method (Bank transfer, Card, Crypto, Vella).

Invoices: As a freelancer in Nigeria, an invoice is another means through which you can request payment. Using Vella’s invoice product, you can request and receive payment from your international client. All you have to do is create an invoice and forward it to your International client to make payment via Crypto or a valid International debit card

Checkout: Many freelancers in Nigeria have websites where they advertise their skills or services and make it easy for prospective clients to find and contact them. Through Vella’s API, receiving international payment from your clients is easy as integrating Vella on your website offers your clients multiple payment options to make payment for your service rendered. Your international clients are able to pay with international card, crypto or through Vella.

Cryptocurrency: If you are a freelancer in Nigeria who is crypto savvy then receiving payment from your international clients might be what you need to skip the hassles of receiving foreign payment. Through Vella, freelancers in Nigeria can receive international payment in stablecoins by sharing their crypto wallet address with the international client.

The benefits of being a freelancer in Nigeria are numerous especially if you freelance for international clients or companies that pay in foreign currencies like USD, GBP or Euros. And that is why it is important to have a stable and secure payment solution that caters to your incoming foreign payments.

To start receiving payments in USD, GBP & Euro from your clients abroad without any stress, download Vella on your mobile device and sign up for Free!!

For more tips on business growth, product updates and effective marketing strategies, follow us on Medium and our social media channels @Vellafinance

As your business expands, you begin to seek new ways to boost revenue, increase your customer base and enhance your brand appeal to new and existing customers. Most business owners resort to mapping out effective marketing strategies, offering rewards (discounts, freebies etc.) to loyal customers, introducing new products etc. However, a major way through which modern day businesses expand their operations is by taking their product or service to international markets.

Taking your business global is a great move for expansion as an international customer base provides access to foreign opportunities, new sources of revenue and enhances the reputation of your business. However, navigating the international market space is not a walk in the park as there are many factors to put into consideration…

Economic and political landscape, laws and regulations are a few important factors to consider when entering the international market. However, the most important factor to put into consideration is PAYMENT as having the right payment structure that caters to international payments is vital for your business growth.

Start Collecting Payments From Your Foreign Customers Seamlessly
As always, simplifying payment for businesses in Nigeria remains our top priority and that is why we are very delighted to announce the launch of our new Pay With Card feature.

The “Pay with Card” feature on our checkout enables your foreign customers based in the United Kingdom, Canada and United States to make payment for your products or services in USD using their international debit card. Once an international customer completes payment for your product using their International debit card, the money automatically reflects in your USD wallet on Vella.

Alongside other payment methods (Pay with Vella, Bank Transfer & Crypto) listed on our checkout, The new “pay with card” option aims to simplify and enhance the payment experience for your foreign customer or client as all that is required to complete payment is a valid international debit card.

Receive payment in USD using Payment Link
Whether you have an online store or a physical store, your international customers can make payment in USD for your product or service via an international debit card.

All you have to do is generate a payment link for the international paying customer. To generate a payment link;

- Log into your Vella account
- Select Payment link on your dashboard
- Tap Create Link
- Enter the title and description of the purchase
- Select USDT or USDC as the acceptable currency
- Enter amount
- Tap Create

The paying customer receives the payment link and completes payment by selecting “International” and then “Pay with Card” as the preferred payment option.

Once the payment is successful, the money automatically reflects in your Vella USD wallet and you can withdraw the money directly into your bank account by using our “Swap” and “Withdraw” features.

It’s simple!

Giving your customers a seamless payment experience during purchase is the right way to do business. To start accepting international payments using our payment links, Download Vella on your mobile device and sign up for FREE.

For further enquiries or clarification, please send us an email hello@vella.finance or reach out to us via any of our social media channels @VellaFinance

Social media channels have become one of the most effective mediums of marketing. Millions of businesses across the globe continue to take advantage of the plethora of social media platforms available and are benefiting from the array of online marketing tools integrated in each platform.

Social media Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube etc have continued to see an increase in users particularly business owners due to the ease they provide in the promotion of goods and services. A study shows that 80% of businesses in the world today promote their business using Facebook ads.

The benefits of social media platforms for business purposes cannot be over-emphasized as they are a powerful tool for reaching target audiences, creating brand awareness and increasing brand appeal to the online community.

How to promote your small business using Instagram

Released in 2010, Instagram is a social networking service that allows users to upload and share photos and videos. Although its main purpose is for photo/video sharing, over the years, it has integrated new and exciting features that have increased its popularity particularly amongst business owners. Now, business owners not only share photos and videos, they also promote their services on Instagram.

Reels: Since the introduction of Instagram Reels in 2019, thousands of businesses have recorded growth in their customer base as Reels is an effective way to promote your business. Through Reels, you can create interesting product-centric videos that not only help in growing your customer base but also increase your brand appeal.

Ads: Instagram Ads keep helping businesses market their product and services effectively. Through paid Instagram ads, you can market your business via photos, videos and carousel forms to potential customers. Another great thing about Instagram Ads is that you can check if your ads are effective through analytics. Instagram ads will help build a following for your brand and grow your customers.

Stories: Just like the name suggests, Instagram stories are a great way to promote your products and services. Instagram story is an in-app feature through which users can tell stories in fun and memorable ways using photos and videos. Using Instagram stories, you are able to create fun contents around your products that leave a great impression on potential customers.

Hashtags: Although hashtags are a great way to reach a larger audience, knowing how to use them is very important. Through hashtags, you are able to upload photo or video contents and tailor them to reach the particular people who might be in need of what you sell. Through hashtags, you can expand your reach, create brand awareness and make it easy for your target audience to reach you.

Instagram Live: Many business owners might shy away from this as not everyone is comfortable in front of a camera. Going live on Instagram is a cool way to advertise your products and services as it gives your audience an opportunity to interact with you, see your products and ask you questions. Through Instagram Live, you can host Q n A sessions, host tutorials on how to use your product etc. These help to build stronger connections with your audience, expand your online reach and showcase your brand personality.

If you have an instagram page for your business and you have been looking for ways to market your products and services, you should utilize any of these in-app features.

For more tips on business growth and effective marketing strategies, follow us on Medium and our social media pages @vellafinance

People start businesses for different reasons and while catering to demand and creating jobs are important reasons, the main reason why people sell products and services is to make profit.

There are many components that determine the lifespan of a business and a major component is Payment.

Over the years, many business owners have evolved by moving with trends in business so as to increase their brand appeal to new and existing customers.

A popular trend is the creation of a website for a business as it serves as an ‘online storefront’ to help showcase the products or services the business offers and simplify payment processes for customers through the integration of payment gateways.

Although having an ‘online storefront’ is a great investment for a business, many business owners cannot afford this ‘luxury’ and have to keep running their business operations in a physical storefront or via social media pages.

This means receiving payment will not be seamless as they have to depend on the epileptic network of commercial banks.

Today's article is tailored for business owners who do not have a website and experience difficulty in receiving payment seamlessly from local and international customers. If you fall into this category, you are in luck for finding this article.

3 Simple Ways You Can Receive Online Payments Without A Website

With technology simplifying our everyday lives and changing the order of things, there are many fast and easy ways through which entrepreneurs without a business website can receive online payments from customers based locally or internationally.

Payment Link: Businesses who explore payment trends must be familiar with payment links as they have gained popularity due to the convenience they provide in receiving payments for various purposes.

A payment link is a clickable link that enables a customer to complete a purchase. To generate a payment link for a customer, you do not need to own a website or have a very large business as they are links that are created on a fintech platform like Vella and sent to the paying customer via email or a social media channel. The paying customer clicks on the payment link and is redirected to a page to make payment.

Electronic Invoicing: Aside from the ease in simplifying and streamlining invoices that electronic invoicing offers, it is also a great way to receive online payments from customers.

For instance, Vella offers businesses a great invoice service that allows business owners to generate free invoices and share with paying customers. Through the shared invoice, a paying customer is able to make payment for the goods or services purchased via a convenient payment method.

Electronic invoicing is gaining popularity particularly among small businesses who do not have a website as it is an easy way to receive payment.

Cryptocurrency: Giving your customers multiple ways through which they can pay for your goods or service is a great way to grow your business and build loyalty. Accepting payments from your customers in crypto is beneficial as you can get paid from anywhere instantly.

Today, many fintech platforms like Binance, Vella, Coinbase etc continue to simplify crypto payments for businesses by offering digital crypto wallets that make it easy for crypto savvy customers to complete purchases by paying directly into the crypto wallet of the business owner.

If you run a business and do not own a website, you can integrate any of these 3 payment methods into your business operation to receive payment from customers instantly.

For more tips of business growth and effective marketing strategies, follow us on Medium and our social media pages @vellafinance.

Having a side hustle is becoming more common and popular in Nigeria particularly amongst the Millennials and Gen Z. With the unfavorable economic climate and raging inflation present in the country, people tend to resort to having other sources of income as a means of making more money while sometimes working a full-time job or part-time job.

A side hustle can be defined as a means to earn extra income. There are many advantages to having a side hustle but the majority of people who have one tend to have a side hustle due to their desire to be less dependent on friends and family financially. Other benefits a side hustle offers include giving one a backup plan, an opportunity to learn something new, extra income and a bunch of other benefits.

In today’s article, I am going to be highlighting 5 side hustles that do not require working from a physical location. These side hustles can be done from anywhere in the world but require having an internet connection and a laptop or mobile device.

1 . Affiliate Marketing: Whether you are a student or an employee, affiliate marketing is a great way to earn passive income. This is a form of marketing that enables one to earn commission by promoting a product or service made by another retailer using an affiliate link. As an affiliate marketer, you can promote a product or service via blog posts or your social media channels and influence people to make a purchase so you can earn your commission. Affiliate marketing is convenient as it does not involve moving from one place to the other. All that is required is your laptop or mobile device and a strong internet connection.

2 . Resume and Business Writing Services: If you have excellent writing skills, another great way to earn a passive income is by helping graduates and job applicants with professional services that include writing CVs, resumes, cover letters etc. Offering a resume and business writing service is an easy and convenient way to earn money on the side. You can work from anywhere in the world and also have clients based in any part of the world. Another plus to offering this kind of service is that it is not expensive to start and is not affected by recession as there are always thousands of job applicants seeking resume writing professionals.

3. Start a blog: Blogging has always been a popular way to earn money and over the years it has proven to be a major source of income for thousands of people across the globe. Starting a blog is easy as there are many blogging sites like Wordpress, substack and medium that allow people to create a blog for free. However, monetizing a blog is challenging and that is why many people don’t resort to it. A blog can be a cool way to earn passive income as it can serve many purposes. Through your blog, you can earn money by writing sponsored posts, selling an ad space, giving reviews of products etc.

4 . Start an online business: This is the most common side hustle in Nigeria presently. Almost everyone sells a product or service offline, online and even both for some extra cash. With the internet making life easy, people start businesses and market their products effectively without having a physical location. If you are someone who is entrepreneurial and interested in making some extra cash, you can consider selling a product or service that’s in high demand.

5 . Online Tutoring: Is there a subject you love and wouldn’t mind teaching for some extra cash? There are many online tutoring platforms that allow individuals to teach different subjects for some cash. These platforms include Compass Tutors, Tuteria, Prep Class etc. If you are enthusiastic about tutoring during your leisure time for some cash, you should check out these platforms.

A side hustle offers a lot of benefits that can be helpful financially as it increases your income and professionally as it helps you hone your already existing skills.

For more tips on growing your business and effective marketing strategies, follow us on Medium.

Whether you are about to start a business or you are currently running one, registering your business with the Corporate Affairs Commission is very important.

Aside from the fact that the Nigerian government does not necessarily impose business registration on entrepreneurs, most Nigerian entrepreneurs tend to skip the registration of their business because it can be an expensive and time-consuming process while others are not fully aware of the benefits attached to registering their business.

The Corporate Affairs Commission is the body saddled with the responsibility of regulating and registering businesses in Nigeria. Although, registering a business in Nigeria can be stressful, it is highly beneficial particularly for new businesses.

Registering your business with the Corporate Affairs Commission enhances the reputation of your business, protects your trademark and gives your business a perception that makes it easy for people to trust and patronize your business.

Small, SMES and Large Businesses Can Now Register Their Business Seamlessly

We understand that the process for registering a business in Nigeria is not only cumbersome but involves a lot of paperwork that makes the whole process tiring and that’s why we have created a fast and simple way for entrepreneurs in Nigeria to register their businesses and get a certified business certificate without leaving their homes and places of business.

Our newly launched service, Launch by Vella, will help new and existing entrepreneurs register their business entities with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) easily. Through Launch by Vella, business owners are able to register their businesses and get their business certificate within 5 working days and at a discounted price without leaving their homes and places of business.

A plus to registering your business entity through Launch is that Vella Finance will also equip entrepreneurs who register their business via Launch with an array of amazing benefits and tools that will help them launch their business smoothly and prepare them for the entrepreneurial journey ahead.

Benefits of Registering Your Business Using Launch by Vella

A Free Business Bank Account: Every new and existing business needs a business bank account for its finances. A business bank account is a separate bank account from your personal account that helps you receive, track and manage your finances easily. Business bank accounts also lend your business credibility and show professionalism to potential customers. Businesses who register their business through Launch automatically get a free business bank account that can be used to run their business operations effectively.

Access To Business Loans: A major benefit of getting a certificate of business registration is that it gives your business easy access to credit facilities from governmental and non-governmental bodies. It is also important to note that financial institutions and credible money lenders will always demand a certificate of business registration before handing out loans to small or large corporate entities. Registering your business via Launch gives you easy access to business loans to help fund and grow your business.

Invoices and Payment Links: Whether you have an online business or a brick and mortar store, Our invoices and payment links are a quick and professional means of accepting payment from your customers. New and existing entrepreneurs who register their business entity through Launch by Vella get access to using our invoice service that allows entrepreneurs generate an unlimited amount of professional invoices for free and our payment links that offers multiple payment options to your customers based in any part of the world.

Free Ecommerce Store: An online store can open your business to a world of opportunities and that is why Vella will be offering entrepreneurs who register their business via Launch free ecommerce stores to better promote their goods and services. With an online store, you can promote your goods and services effectively, reach new customers, market your products and engage with customers. Registering your business using Launch by Vella gives you an ecommerce store at no cost.

Customer Manager: Keeping records of your customers is no small feat especially if your business has a large customer base. Entrepreneurs who register their business entity via Launch automatically get a reliable system through which they can store and have access to their customer data on their mobile. Through this, entrepreneurs can say goodbye to manual data storing of customer information and move about with their office in their hands.

Tailored Training: Starting and managing a business can be hectic and time-consuming which leaves no room for personal and entrepreneurial growth and that is why we have included a tailored training package as a freebie for entrepreneurs who register their businesses through Launch by Vella. The tailored training package will include tips and guides on business growth and effective marketing strategies in the form of webinars, twitter spaces etc., specially organized for business owners. Through the tailored training, businesses will be able to have access to business hacks that can be implemented for business growth.

How To Register Your Business Using Launch by Vella

To register your business with CAC via Launch by Vella, please follow these simple steps;

- Log onto our website and tap Get Started

- Enter your email address

- Input the OTP sent to your email address.

- Once the OTP has been verified, proceed by clicking New Registration

- Enter your business information

- Input main proprietor’s information. You can also add other proprietors if necessary.

- Upload required documents — Passport Photograph, ID card and Signature

- Review Documents and tick the certification box

Complete registration by making payment via any of the payment options displayed on your screen. You can make payment for your certificate via Bank Transfer, Crypto, Debit card and Vella.

Once payment is successful, you will receive a confirmation email stating that your application has been received. Your CAC certificate will be delivered to you within 5 working days.

We are committed to providing simple ways for businesses in Nigeria to start, grow and scale business heights. Through Launch by Vella, entrepreneurs do not have to worry about visiting the CAC office, hiring lawyers or waiting indefinitely for their business certificate. All they have to do is log onto our website and register their business with CAC conveniently and at a reduced cost.

For access to our other products and services designed for businesses, Download Vella on your mobile device and Sign up.

Introducing Dom Pay and Payout: Businesses in Nigeria Can Now Send Money To Any Domiciliary Bank Account in Nigeria Without A Trip To The Bank.

Following the successful launch of Invoice by Vella — a feature that enables businesses in Africa to create, process and manage an unlimited number of professional invoices for free, we are thrilled to announce the launch of two new features, Dom Pay and Payout.

It is no news that the current economic and financial climate of Nigeria does not particularly favor businesses, most especially, small businesses who are struggling to keep the lights on and find their footing in their respective industries. Nigerian businesses owners are regularly confronted with new hurdles that pose a threat to the growth and success of their business.

As a fintech company, a core part of our mission is to equip small to medium sized businesses in Nigeria and Africa at large with tools that will support business growth and empower them to scale new heights in their respective industries. Our newly launched products, Dom Pay and Payout stem from this mission as they will help businesses in Nigeria move money freely without limitations.

Send Money To Any Domiciliary Bank Account in Nigeria Seamlessly!

A domiciliary account comes in handy for individuals and businesses who perform international business dealings that involve foreign currencies. For Nigerians, a domiciliary account serves multiple purposes that include saving in dollars, sending and receiving money abroad, performing international transactions etc. With our latest feature, Dom Pay, individuals and businesses can say goodbye to regular trips to the bank to deposit money in their domiciliary account. Dom Pay allows individuals and businesses to send money to any domiciliary account in Nigeria from the comfort of their homes and places of business.

Benefits of using Dom pay
Convenient: Say goodbye to frequent bank trips and frustrating queues.

Zero Paperwork: You can send money to any domiciliary account in Nigeria without submitting any document.

Secure: No third party or middlemen involved.

Low cost: Transfer to any domiciliary bank account has a flat fee of $10.

Fast processing: Money will reflect in the Domiciliary bank account in less than 24 hours.

Currently, this service is only available for customers that have accounts with Access Bank, Fidelity Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank, UBA, Wema Bank, Zenith Bank, Polaris Bank and First Bank.

How to send money to a domiciliary bank account in Nigeria.

Using Dom Pay, Individuals and corporate bodies in Nigeria can send money to personal and other domiciliary bank accounts in Nigeria by following these simple steps;

- Log into your account

- Tap Do More with Vella

- Select Vella Pay and click Dom Pay

- Tap New Payment and Select Country, Purpose and Wallet

- Enter the amount to send

- Input Beneficiary Bank Details

- Enter Beneficiary Billing information

- Scan through the transaction summary

- Authorize transaction with your 4-digit pin.

- Tap Confirm

The Domiciliary bank account will be funded in less than 24 hours.

Payout: Send Money To Your Customers and Corporate Bodies Easily.

Sending and receiving money is a part of everyday operations for businesses in Nigeria. Whether you are sending money to a corporate body or refunding a customer due to the unavailability of a product, it is important to have payment tools that make transactions seamless at your disposal.

Our newly launched product, Payout, is an effective tool for businesses to send money directly to the bank account of customers and corporate bodies easily. Using Payout, businesses in Nigeria can avoid money transfer delays that are typical with Nigerian banks. However, it is important to note that this service is available for verified merchants only.

Things to Note about Payout include;

1. You can access it on only our web currently.

2. Verified merchants can make direct bank transfers to customers or fellow business owners using their NGNT wallets only.

3. The minimum amount for transfer is N1,000

4. The payout is directly to the bank account of the customer or corporate body.

5. Only Nigerian merchants that have been verified on our platform can use this service.

How Does Payout Work?

For instance, you recently completed a giveaway on your business page and you have your winner already who is a regular customer, you can easily make a bank transfer to the customer using Payout. All you have to do is Visit our web — https://vella.finance/

- Sign into your account

- At the left side bar, Click Payments and select Payout

- Tap New Payout and click Single Payout

- Enter Customer’s Bank Account details

- Scan through the transaction summary

- Authorize payout with your 4-digit pin

- Click confirm

The recipient’s bank account will be credited instantly.

We aim to keep simplifying payments for businesses in Africa with our products and services.

If you have ever sent money abroad or needed to quickly make payment for goods to your supplier based in another continent, then you can attest to the fact that international money transfer can be time-consuming and expensive.

Security issues, high exchange rates and slow payout are among the many challenges associated with sending money globally via conventional bank institutions and that is why many individuals and businesses tend to tilt towards online payment platforms when it comes to sending money to other parts of the world because they are fast, convenient and void of a cumbersome process.

Send and Receive Money on Vella.

Vella provides alternative payment options that enable individuals and businesses in Africa to send and receive money globally without any hassle. Through Vella, sending money to friends, family, clients or business partners is swift, cost-effective and very simple. Our Global Pay service is designed for businesses to make payments to local and international countries (UK, USA, Angola, Greece, Canada etc.) across the world using fiat or crypto-currency.

Aside from making international money transfer sweet and seamless, Vella also provides a range of convenient and familiar options that help businesses and freelancers in Africa receive money from clients and customers locally and internationally. Using Vella, businesses can get paid via our hybrid payment gateway (fiat & cryptocurrency), invoices, payment links, API, widgets and plug-ins on ecommerce websites etc.

Vella makes sending money seamless as it ensures the process is secure and convenient for the sender and receiver. While international money transfers require the recipient’s domiciliary account details, local transfers on Vella are easier as the only thing required is the recipient’s Vella tag or crypto wallet address.

What is a Vella Tag?

Equivalent to an account number, a Vella tag is all you need to perform free transactions on Vella. With a Vella tag, you can send and receive fiat or crypto from a fellow Vella user for free.

You can also send other currencies using Vella’s multi-currency wallet system for free and these are but a few from a bunch of other freebies you will enjoy as a Vella user.

So, instead of asking for bank account details, the recipient can merely share their crypto wallet address or Vella tag and the sender can transfer money instantly.

Send Money Locally

You can send money locally to friends and family in fiat or crypto by following these simple steps;

- Log into your account.

- Tap View Wallet on your dashboard

- Click Send and select your preferred mode of sending.

To send via Vella Tag

- Enter Recipient’s Vella tag

- Select wallet for sending

- Enter amount

- Input your 4 digit transaction pin

- Press Confirm

The recipient’s wallet will be credited instantly.

To send via Crypto

- Select Wallet and network

- Choose Beneficiary

- Enter amount

- Scan through transaction summary

- Authorize transfer with your 4-digit pin

Send Money Internationally (Global Pay)

Our Global Pay service enables international money transfer to over 80 countries across the globe. To send money internationally, follow these simple steps;

- Log into your account.

- Select Global Pay on your dashboard

- Click New Payment

- Select Country, Purpose for sending and Wallet

- Enter the amount for sending and Click continue

- Enter Beneficiary Bank Details

- Enter Beneficiary’s Billing information

- Scan through Transaction summary

- Authorize payment by entering your transaction Pin

- Click Confirm

African and Non-African countries we currently operate in include;

- Cameroon

- United States of America

- Angola

- United Kingdom

- South Africa

- Canada

- Belgium

- Kenya

- Australia

- Benin

- Spain

- Turkey

And over 60 more countries across the globe.

We weren’t exaggerating when we said we are a platform designed to make payment methods simplified for individuals and businesses in Africa.

Ready to move money freely without any barriers?

Download Vella on Google Play Store and Apple store today.

Sign up is totally free!

Follow us for updates on our products and services, tips for business growth and effective marketing strategies.

The primary goal of every online business, whether small, medium or large, is to make profit while providing value to its customers. However, the growth of your business depends on paying attention to vital components of your ecommerce business.

Ecommerce business models have become common and popular across the world because they are easy to set up and are not subjected to geographical constraints. Many business owners, including those that have physical stores, endeavor to promote their business online because it is an effective way to grow their business as it creates awareness for the business and increases customer base.

So, let’s say you have just built your online store using Woo commerce or WordPress and you have showcased all your amazing products with a discount to incentivize your prospects. You have started making sales but not as much as you would like and this is affecting your business revenue.

In this article, I am going to highlight 5 effective tactics that you should implement to increase sales on your ecommerce store.

Below are effective tactics that can help increase sales and revenue;

1 . Display Customer Testimonials: Study shows that 92% of customers read online reviews before making a purchase. The effectiveness of reviews from satisfied customers cannot be downplayed in the world of business. Testimonials from happy customers are a great way to build trust in your brand and influence prospects to purchase your products or service. To increase sales on your ecommerce website, display customer reviews on strategic places on your website. Pop-ups of what happy customers have said about your products should be among the top 3 things customers see once they get on your site.

2 . Offer a variety of payment options: No one loves a stream of options more than a paying customer on the checkout page of a website. A great way to increase sales on your website is by providing multiple payment options (credit cards, PayPal, debit cards etc.) to your customers. For businesses who are global and have customers in other continents, it is important to provide options that make it easy to make payment for your goods and services. Offering your customers limited online payment options will lead to an increase in cart abandonment. To increase sales on your e-commerce website, provide many familiar and convenient modes of payment for customers.

3 . Use CTA’s on your Website: Call-To-Actions are key elements of a webpage as they are pieces of content (button, image etc.) intended to prompt users to perform an action. Examples of CTA’S include “Sign up”, “ Register”, “Follow Us”, “Subscribe to our email” “Buy Now” etc. Inserting clear CTA’s on your e-commerce site is an effective way to influence purchase as they help direct customers on how to make a purchase and sometimes influence impulse buying. Integrating clear CTA’s on different sections of your web page is an easy way to increase sales on your e-commerce site.

4 . Provide top-notch customer service: People visit your website for a plethora of reasons. Some visit to view your products while others visit to find ways to contact you to make an inquiry or report an issue. A great way to build loyalty in your customers is by providing top-notch customer service. This includes a quick response time, displaying means of contacting customer support(email, phone call etc.). Most business websites integrate live chats on their site to respond to customer queries or enquiries and this aids business growth and it gives customers a sense of importance.

5 . Simple checkout process: Nothing frustrates the purchase experience like a complicated checkout process. Most shoppers do not have the patience to visit too many pages before being taken to the main checkout page. To increase sales on your business website, simplify the checkout process by reducing the number of pages it takes to reach the final checkout page. A simple checkout process involves making sure that the shopping experience of your customer is easy and not complex. Aside from providing a better user experience, a frictionless checkout process will help your website reduce the number of bounces.

Implementing these simple yet effective strategies will help you increase sales as they will provide better experience for your customers, make shopping on your website pleasurable and also build trust for your brand.

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Buying goods from China is popular amongst traders in Nigeria.

Everyday, businesses import a wide variety of goods ranging from electronics to skincare products from merchants in China, in a bid to satisfy the ever increasing demands of customers.

There is no doubt that buying goods abroad offers merchants and their customers a plethora of benefits that include access to a wide range of products that are durable and can be bought at a cheaper rate when purchased directly from the manufacturer.

Although sourcing goods from China offers businesses numerous benefits, many entrepreneurs in Nigeria still encounter challenges when sending money to their Chinese suppliers for goods or services purchased. These challenges stem from the unfavorable economic climate in Nigeria, high exchange rates, steep transfer fees and currency conversion rates etc.

Having a trusted online payment platform that processes local and international payments seamlessly for your business operations cannot be overemphasized. Businesses who import goods from China regularly do not have to worry about ridiculously high exchange rates and slow payout because Vella is a secure and convenient way to send money to China.

Whether you need to make a quick payment on Ali express or you need to send money to your suppliers in China, Vella handles the payment process online and saves you from the hassle of international money transfer. Using Vella, businesses can send money to Chinese merchants or suppliers quickly and securely.

Benefits of Using Vella to Pay Your Chinese Suppliers.

Secure: Merchant and buyer protection is guaranteed.

Quick Payout: Payment to China is processed within 24 hours.

No Transaction limit: There is no daily or monthly transaction limit.

Low cost: Transfer fees to China cost almost next to nothing.

Convenient: No middleman or paperwork required.

How To Pay Chinese Suppliers using Vella

Sending money to China using Vella is swift and simple as no paperwork or document is required. To send money to your Chinese suppliers, all you need to do is log into your account and follow these simple steps;

Step 1: On your dashboard, select China Merchant and tap New Payment

Step 2: Select Payment method, Purpose and Wallet

Step 3: Enter the total amount for the transaction.

Step 4: Provide Chinese merchant information

Step 5: Scan through the transaction summary for any errors

Step 6: Enter your unique Vella transaction pin to confirm payment

Payment will be sent!

Now, small to medium sized businesses can make payment to their Chinese suppliers without any hassle.

Invoices by Vella simplifies invoice processing for freelancers and small to medium sized businesses in Africa. Using the Invoice feature, you can create, send and track invoices from the comfort of your mobile device.

A plus to using Invoices by Vella is that businesses can generate an unlimited amount of invoices for FREE and also influence quick payment as Vella provides multiple payment methods to the buyer.

Generating an invoice on Vella is very simple and does not require a cumbersome process. All you need is your mobile phone and details of the buyer and transaction.

So, this is how it works;

For instance, a customer has just ordered two pairs of sneakers from your online store and you want to generate an invoice for him on Vella.

To get started, log into your account and tap Do More With Vella

Select Vella Commerce and tap Invoice. Proceed by tapping Create Invoice

Start by selecting the currency you would prefer your amounts to be displayed in.

Step 1: Fill details of the invoice. This includes a short description for your invoice, number of the invoice, date and due date for your invoice. You can upload your business logo if you have one and include a short note for the buyer.

Also you can set custom reminders for every invoice you generate per customer. This will help remind the buyer to make payment for goods purchased.

Step 2: Enter details of the Billing information. As the one generating the invoice, the fields with your name and address are pre- populated but you can edit if there’s a need.

You will proceed by entering your billing address and basic details (Name, Phone Number, Email and House Address) of your customer whom the invoice is being generated for.

Step 3: Input details of the purchased product. This includes the name of the product, the number of products purchased. Unit price and total cost of product.

To input additional details like discount, tax and shipping fee, tap Additional info.

Step 4: Click Continue and tap on the generated invoice. Scan through details of the invoice for any error and click on Edit if there are any.

Step 5: To download the generated invoice as a pdf, tap Preview and click on the arrow button on the left upper part of your screen. You can also share the new invoice with customers via any social media channel by tapping the share button.

Our Invoice feature also influences payment by providing your customers with familiar and simple payment methods (bank transfer, crypto etc.) that can be used to make payment for item(s) purchased.

See! Creating and processing invoices for your business on Vella is a fast and simple way to manage your business effectively.

Ready to start creating invoices? Download the Vella App or Sign up to get started.

Small to large businesses encounter numerous challenges while running a business. These challenges range from inadequate public infrastructure to government regulation policies.

However, a major challenge that confronts many businesses across the world is processing and managing invoices. As a business expands, its customer base and chain of suppliers increases hence the reason for the difficulty in tracking and managing invoices.

Before digitization, business owners, particularly small business owners, were saddled with the responsibility of processing and tracking invoices manually for customers. Some of the common problems associated with manual invoice processing includes delays in processing, lack of time management, human-made errors, high chances of duplicating or misplacing invoices, lots of paperwork etc.

With digitization came simplification. Thousands of businesses around the world are now able to create, process and track invoices for customers or clients using software on their laptops and invoicing applications on their mobile.

Say goodbye to manual invoice processing!

Vella offers a wide range of products and services for businesses that support growth, boost profit and simplify business operations especially when it comes to sending and receiving payments.

Since the relaunch of our new website and mobile application, many products have been launched. Now, businesses are able to integrate Vella on their business website to receive payments from customers via our secure hybrid payment gateway, pay their suppliers in any part of the world seamlessly, get easy access to credit facilities like loans and overdrafts etc.

Amongst the newly launched products and services is Invoice.

Invoice by Vella is a fast and simple way to create invoices and share with your prospective client or customer based in any part of the world. This service was designed for small business owners, freelancers and entrepreneurs who sell products and offer services and need a quick way of creating invoices.

In addition to providing a seamless way of creating professional invoices, Vella also speeds up the payment process by offering customers or clients secure payment options through which they can make payment for products purchased or services rendered. Payment options include paying via bank transfer, fiat or crypto currency.

Benefits of using Invoice by Vella for your small business includes;

1 . Generate and share invoices in minutes: Using Vella, small businesses can generate invoices in minutes and share with prospective clients and customers via email, WhatsApp and other social media channels.

2 . Send unlimited number of invoices daily: There is no limit to the number of invoices that can be generated on Vella. You can create and send thousands of invoices to your clients and customers based in any part of the world.

3 . Get Paid Faster: Vella helps businesses influence and speed up the payment process by offering customers and clients multiple payment options through which they can make payment for products purchased or services rendered.

4 . Share invoices globally: Generating invoices on Vella is not confined to businesses and customers in Nigeria only. Businesses can create and share invoices to customers in any part of the world seamlessly.

5 . Professional Look: Generating invoices on Vella increases your brand appeal as invoices have a modern and professional look.

6 . Saves time and money: Using Vella to generate invoices for your customers helps to eliminate the cost of paper and ink. Now, businesses can save money.

7 . Manage your business efficiently: Whether you have a physical store or online store, you can create and track invoices sent to customers with ease using Invoice by Vella.

Invoice by Vella aims to simplify invoice processing for small businesses in Africa. Now, businesses can create, process and track invoices seamlessly.

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E-commerce stores need a trusted payment gateway to function and that is why integrating the wrong payment gateway on your website can be detrimental to the growth of your business. The importance of a payment gateway goes beyond receiving online payment from your customers, it also helps to improve customer experience and increase brand appeal of your business.

There is no doubt that online payment gateways have become popular amongst ecommerce businesses due to the numerous benefits they provide. Using a payment gateway, small to large businesses can receive payment from customers across the world seamlessly. Popular online payment gateway providers like PayPal, Stripe, Amazon pay, Vella, Skrill etc. support the growth of businesses by simplifying payment processes for merchants and customers. Other benefits of using payment gateways include security, reduction in declined transactions, global acceptability etc.

Although online payment gateways provide ease and simplify payment for businesses, there are factors to consider when choosing a suitable payment provider to suit your business needs. Many business owners might struggle with choosing the right payment gateway tailored for their business due to the multitude of options at their disposal, however, choosing a payment gateway that fits your business operations perfectly is vital.

Factors To Consider When Choosing A Payment Gateway For Your Small Business

Below are 5 factors you should take into consideration when selecting a payment gateway provider for your small business;

1. Multiple Payment Options: Customers love options. They love to have a variety of options through which they can make payment for your product conveniently. If you own a website, a great way to offer better customer experience to customers is providing multiple payment methods on the checkout page of your website. Choosing a payment gateway that enables your customers to make payment on your website through multiple means is very vital to satisfying your customers and growing your business. Today, many payment gateway providers allow merchants to receive payment from customers via wallets, credit cards, debit cards, bank transfer, crypto etc. Giving your customers a wide range of payment methods that are familiar, secure and convenient can help your business greatly.

2 . Reliable Customer Support: When customers encounter problems while trying to make payment on your website, they either reach out to you for a solution or just abandon the cart which can be bad for business. Another important factor many online merchants overlook when choosing a payment gateway provider is ensuring the customer support of the service provider is reliable and offers support 24/7. A good payment gateway provider should provide multiple ways of contacting their support team and also have a standby customer support team that is available to rectify payment related queries that a merchant or customer might have.

3 . Cross-border Payments: Modern technology has enabled businesses to expand their products and services to international reach. While this is a blessing, many business owners still find it difficult to receive international payments from customers without any hassle. And that is why choosing a payment gateway provider with the infrastructure to process multi-currency transactions on your website seamlessly is essential. If you are expanding your business and a large chunk of your customers are based abroad, choosing a payment gateway that supports your customers to make payment in their desired currency is key.

4. Security: A payment gateway that provides merchant and buyer protection during online transactions is one you should consider choosing. As more businesses embrace having an online presence, the chances of being susceptible to fraud and chargebacks increases and these can hurt the business significantly. A good payment gateway provider should offer your business high security standards that protect the sensitive details of your customers during online transactions. Customers should be rest assured that their sensitive details will not be shared with any third parties while shopping on your website. When choosing a payment gateway provider for your business, ensure that you choose one that prioritizes security measures for websites.

5. Pricing: Although payment gateway providers support businesses tremendously, their services do not come without a price and this is a major factor to consider when choosing a payment gateway provider for your business. Most payment gateway providers have a variety of fees they charge merchants for their service. These fees could include setup fees, transactional fees, monthly fees etc. choosing a payment gateway provider whose charges won’t hurt your business in the long run is important.

The importance of payment gateways for e-commerce businesses cannot be overemphasized as they are a vital component in receiving payment. Deciding on a payment gateway for your business requires proper research on if the features of the service provider can cater to the needs of your business.

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