PiggyVest, Nigeria’s popular savings and investment platform, is taking a bold step to strengthen its operations. The compant now builds and runs its own payment infrastructure. This change gives PiggyVest tighter control over how users fund their accounts and how it handles virtual account numbers. The move hinges on its acquisition of PocketApp, which PiggyVest acquired in 2022.
Since foundation, PiggyVest relied heavily on third party payment providers like Paystack, Flutterwave, Monnify for virtual account numbers and bank transfers. That reliance created delays, opaque accountability and fees that drained margins. With the new infrastructure, PiggyVest now issues Virtual Account Numbers (VANs) through PocketApp. It means when users send money using account numbers, PiggyVest sees the funds more quickly and owns the process.
Why In-House Control Matters
Third-party dependencies cost more than fees. Delays in funds processing create distrust. Users often could not tell whether delays came from their bank, the payment processor, or PiggyVest itself. PiggyVest kept responding publicly when users saw money “not enter” their wallets, even though problems often lay upstream with partner banks or processors.
By shifting to its own virtual account system under PocketApp, PiggyVest captures visibility into where each transaction sits. Engineers can fix glitches faster. The company reduces its exposure to service outages caused by someone else’s system. Customers no longer rely on vague notifications; PiggyVest can directly track whether transactions succeed or fail and act.
What PiggyVest Has Rolled Out
The new system already supports key products: Flex Naira and House Money, two wallets customers use frequently. Those services now allow funding via PiggyVest-issued account numbers. PiggyVest will expand the new setup to more of its wallets, including SafeLock, in the near future.
The company also streamlines user experience: every user gets a PocketApp virtual account number. PiggyVest removes legacy third-party account numbers from its app. Users asked to switch over. Eventually, the platform will retire all legacy virtual account numbers entirely.
Impacts on Users, Competition, and the Fintech Scene
For users, this change means faster funding and fewer unexplained delays. It builds trust by making clarity the default. When funding stalls, PiggyVest can see exactly where the hold-up lies, instead of displacing blame on third parties. That kind of transparency boosts confidence.
For competition, PiggyVest raises the bar. Rival fintechs that depend heavily on third-party payment processors feel the pressure: owning payments infrastructure gives cost savings, better control of workflows, and potential margin advantages. Other players in Nigeria’s fintech space may replicate or counter this move.
Regulatory bodies will watch. PiggyVest moved into this space after acquiring PocketApp and having the licensing work in place. It must stay compliant with mobile money regulations, data rules, anti-money laundering laws, and whatever oversight the Central Bank of Nigeria demands.
Challenges Ahead
PiggyVest must build reliability into its infrastructure; it still depends on banks and settlement systems, so outages or delays at partner institutions could still disrupt flow. PiggyVest will need robust monitoring, redundancy, and customer support to match or exceed what third-party processors provided. Also, scaling the payment rails securely as user volume grows introduces data security challenges and cost burdens.
Another challenge lies in user migration. Some users resist change, especially when they’re used to one funding method. PiggyVest has to manage that switch in a way that avoids frustration or confusion. Communication, transparency, and fallback options matter.
PiggyVest’s decision to bring payment infrastructure in-house marks a strong evolution for the platform. By issuing its own virtual account numbers via PocketApp, PiggyVest gains control, reduces dependency, and positions itself to improve user trust. The road ahead requires sustaining reliability, regulatory compliance, and managing change carefully. If executed well, this shift could reshape fund transfers, savings and investment experiences for millions in Nigeria and set standards for fintechs across Africa.
