Interswitch has increased security of transaction through payment cards in the country. This has been by achieving  the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCIDSS) certification for the second consecutive year, making it the only Nigerian and West African organisation to be compliant two years in a row.

With this certification, card users would continue to experience enhanced payment account data security. PCIDSS certification represents a common set of security best practice that if adhered to, will ensure the safe and secure handling of payment card data and transactions.

The requirements ensure that the entities that process, store or transmit cardholders’ data meet and adhere to the following standards: maintain a secure network for processing transactions; protection of cardholders and transaction data while in transit or at rest on the network; regular monitoring and testing of IT infrastructure among others.

According to a statement from the company and signed by the Managing Director and CEO of Interswitch, Mr. Mitchell Elegbe: “We have demonstrated our commitment to raise the bar on transaction security by seeking and achieving certification based on the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC)”.

The PCISSC is a measure to provide a uniform security compliance programme for organisations, service providers and merchants that handle card data. Such organisations could be in the financial, retail or IT sectors.

Recall that Interswitch achieved the PCIDSS certification in 2010, which ranked the company among the group of over 1,000 service providers worldwide with the same certificate and is the first company in the West African region to become a participating organisation of the PCI SSC. It achieved the PCI SSC status after fulfilling the council’s stringent requirements.

“Data security is a critical part of the switching business. In order to maintain and reinforce the same globally acceptable standards, we have gone to great lengths and a rigorous process to ensure we retain the certification this year”, he said.

PCISSC’s mission is to enhance payment account data security by driving education and awareness of the PCISSC.

It was founded by American Express, Discover Financial Services, JCB International, MasterCard Worldwide and Visa, Inc.