Visa, a global leader in digital payments, in partnership with Access Bank (Ghana) Plc., today unveiled Visa Accept, a solution that allows micro, nano and small merchants across Ghana to accept contactless card payments directly on their smartphones, without the need for additional hardware.

Visa Accept helps to address a key challenge facing many of Ghana's smallest businesses.

While digital payment adoption continues to grow across the country, many micro and nano merchants have remained excluded from card acceptance due to the cost and complexity of traditional point-of-sale (POS) infrastructure.

Through Visa Accept, merchants can create a seller profile within the Access Bank mobile banking app and begin accepting payments within minutes.

Consumers can pay using a contactless card or mobile wallet, scan a QR code, or receive a secure payment link, eliminating the need for dedicated POS hardware. Funds are settled to the merchant's existing bank account in near real-time, while transactions benefit from Visa's security standards and consumer protections, including support for disputes and refunds.

" Consumer demand for digital payments in Ghana continues to grow, but acceptance among smaller merchants continues to face challenges. Visa Accept is helping close that gap by making it easier and more affordable for micro and small businesses to accept digital payments using the smartphones they already own. By expanding access to digital acceptance, we are helping more merchants participate in the digital economy while providing consumers with more ways to pay easily and securely." said Fabrice Konan, Country Manager, Visa Ghana.

Also speaking on the launch, Eugene Ocansey, Executive Director, Retail and SME Banking, Access Bank (Ghana) Plc, said “Access Bank is proud to be the first bank in Ghana to partner Visa on this solution. The bulk of businesses in our country are SMEs, and Visa Accept gives us an opportunity to start transitioning those who are informal into the formal economy. When a merchant has a tool that brings in their money and makes their cash flow visible, we can understand what the business does, and that is what makes the average SME bankable. Visa brings the technology; Access Bank brings the reach to put it in the hands of every merchant who needs it."

Visa Accept is now available to eligible Access Bank Ghana customers nationwide.

Merchants can enroll through the Access Bank mobile banking app or visit an Access Bank branch for assistance.