Payporte boosts Internet shopping with data freebies

To further deepen data usage in the country, an online shopping portal, Payporte, has concluded plans to give away free Internet service to 100,000 Nigerians who shopped online in their portal through Airtel networks.

This has been made possible through Opera’s Sponsored Web Pass, which enables brands to sponsor no-cost Internet access through mobile operators to provide their customers with easy-to-understand methods of accessing the net.

According to Ipsos, a research company, Nigeria takes the lead in Africa in terms of online shopping uptake with over half of Internet users having engaged with online shopping portals.

However, data usage in the country remains low in comparison with mobile penetration.   Initiatives such as this, aimed to provide a free taste of the Internet for those who do not regularly go online.

Payporte is sponsoring 100,000 days of free Internet every month for six months.    Speaking on the gesture, Managing Director, PayPorte Global, System, Eyo Bassey, said, as an online store, PayPorte is committed to bring more Nigerians online and helping others already surfing the net take advantage of the global Internet community’s ideas, items and innovation sharing.

He said that the free Web pass is part of plans to make PayPorte the best online shopping platform in Africa with customer-centric posture.

Bassy said: “We are trying to stimulate the market by helping more people get online. Today, Payporte boasts of offering the most affordable prices on items with 24-hour delivery. in fact, we are the online platform not toasted around by the wave of currency devaluations and forex challenges; our items retain their prices. “So, we thought of ways to bring more internet penetration and access to more Nigerians.

From out analogue, this partnership for Opera mini sponsored web passes will make it happen, because we they have the requisite technology.

The approach is most innovative. “E-commerce is revolutionising the way in which many Nigerians shop. We at Payporte are thrilled to provide free internet to current and future online shoppers and give them a taste for everything the internet has to offer”.

Opera Mini has about 23 million users in Nigeria and accounts for 17 per cent global digital advertising and views internet access as a universal right hence its technology that can perform 90% data compression.

On his part, Richard Monday, vice president, Africa for Opera Software, stated that “Opera Software endeavours to pioneer solutions that facilitate low or no-cost access to mobile internet.

We’re excited to work with Payporte and our operator partners in Nigeria to help bring more people online.”    Airtel Nigeria subscribers can find the free pass by going to webpass.opera.com., while MTN, Etisalat and Glo packages are to be rolled out in due course.