Oneremit is placing human support at the core of its cross-border payments service, arguing that African companies handling international transactions need more than a self-service app when problems arise.
Much of the fintech sector has spent the past decade automating payments: users open an application, enter a value, add a recipient and submit the transfer. That system can be effective for simple transactions, but international business payments often involve more complexity.
Oneremit enables companies to send and receive payments in more than 100 countries. Its service for African businesses includes dedicated support staff under what it describes as a concierge model, intended for cases where software alone cannot resolve an issue.
Quick facts
- Oneremit supports business payments across more than 100 countries.
- The company is licensed or registered in Nigeria, Canada and the United States.
- It is expanding into the United Kingdom and Ghana.
- The concierge service is aimed at payments for imports, salaries and supplier settlements.
- Payments can settle within minutes through local payment networks.
Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Olusola Kolawole said many businesses have become accustomed to receiving little information when an overseas transfer encounters a problem. He said business owners commonly have experience of funds seemingly disappearing within a banking system, without anyone able to identify their location.
“Most business owners have a story about a payment that disappeared into a bank somewhere, and nobody could tell them where it was,” Kolawole said. “That experience is what we built the concierge model to end.”
He said the company structures its support around the needs of each client rather than requiring all businesses to follow one standard payment process. Some companies make a single large quarterly transfer, while others pay numerous suppliers each week; some prefer independent processing and others want assistance throughout the transaction.
“We build around the business, not the other way round,” he said.
Kolawole said the value of the approach becomes clearest when a transfer requires intervention. He cited the example of a Lagos importer whose goods are awaiting release in China while the supplier says the funds have not been received.
In that situation, the business needs more than a support ticket, he said. It needs someone able to trace the funds, contact the receiving bank and provide a clear estimate of when the payment will arrive.
“Our team does that,” Kolawole said.
He said the service is particularly relevant for companies transferring substantial amounts for imports, payroll and supplier payments, where even a one-day delay can prevent goods from moving or put commercial relationships under pressure.
“When a business sends money through us, they are trusting us with their reputation in front of their supplier. We take that seriously,” Kolawole said.
Olorunfemi Obasa, Oneremit’s Head of Business, said companies’ first concerns are generally not about the technical workings of a platform. Instead, they want to know who will be available to help if a transaction fails or is delayed.
He said the onboarding process gives Oneremit information about a client’s suppliers, payment frequency and key deadlines. As a result, when a business later contacts the company, its support team already has context on that customer’s operations.
“By the end of onboarding, we know who a business pays, how often, and what their deadlines look like,” Obasa said. “So when they call us later, they are not starting from the beginning. They are talking to people who already understand their business.”
Kolawole said technology remains responsible for the core transfer process, including settlement through local networks in minutes, while human staff oversee the process and address exceptions.
“Technology moves the money. People make sure it gets there,” he said.
Oneremit has regulatory licences and registrations in Nigeria, Canada and the United States, and is pursuing expansion in the United Kingdom and Ghana. The company said its concierge-led service will remain a central part of its business offering as it enters additional markets.
Website: oneremit.co
Email: [email protected]
