By PROVIDENCE OBUH

The global payments technology company, Visa Incorporated is focusing on shifting its investment into Nigeria’s tourism sector and West African region.

“Another of Visa’s focus areas in Nigeria and the West African region is to continue to boost tourism and cross border spend, Group Executive for Visa’s CEMEA (Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa) region, Mr. Kamran Siddiqi said.

Siddiqi said this during his official visit to the country, saying, “Growing acceptance of Visa cards in Nigeria is making travel to the country easier. We are collaborating with many key players in the tourism industry.”

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s report on Visa’s Tourism Outlook shows that Nigerians enjoyed a 25 percent increase in spending by international travelers using the visa cards in 2012, while international visa cardholders increased tourism spending from $95.2 million in 2011 to $119.5 million in 2012, even as total transactions rose by 31.1 percent from 553, 747 to 727, 113.

Speaking on financial literacy and cashless payments drive in the country, the Group Executive, hinted that visa is dedicated to increasing financial literacy among the unbanked through strategic partnerships and educational programs. In the past decade, Visa has helped bring financial literacy education to millions of people in more than 30 countries. He said: “ Nigeria is a very important market for us. It is exciting for me to be here to support the progress visa has made in driving financial inclusion and making electronic payments more accessible to everyone everywhere.