Every day, millions of honest, hardworking, and talented Nigerians encounter the same frustrating message: "Service not available in your region" or "Your country is not supported."

From payment gateways to freelance platforms and creator tools, Nigeria is systematically blacklisted. These companies claim this is a "security measure" to prevent fraud. However, this is not security—it is collective punishment and technological laziness.

We are launching this petition to demand an end to the blanket exclusion of Nigeria from the global digital economy.

The Evidence: It Is Possible to Thrive in Nigeria
The excuse that "Nigeria is too risky" is a lie. We know this because legitimate financial and tech platforms are already operating here securely and successfully.

If they can do it, why can’t you?

Paystack & Flutterwave: These African giants process billions of dollars in transactions annually for global merchants, maintaining world-class security standards.
GTBank & Zenith Bank: Traditional banking institutions that have facilitated international trade and online payments for decades without collapsing from "fraud."
Peygo: Emerging fintech platforms are solving complex financial needs like Earned Wage Access (EWA) using modern verification, proving that innovation is thriving here.
These companies prove that the Nigerian market is not "unmanageable." They simply invested in the right infrastructure. By contrast, global giants like PayPal and Etsy are choosing the "lazy" route: blocking 200 million people rather than updating their security protocols.

The Hypocrisy: Evidence of Discrimination
You claim you block Nigeria due to "high fraud risk." Yet, your own policies contradict this.

PayPal: You allow Nigerians to send money (taking our funds) but block us from receiving it. If we are trusted enough to give you money, why are we not trusted enough to be paid for our work? This is exploitation, not security.
Etsy: You ban Nigerian creators from opening shops because "Etsy Payments is not available," yet you actively support sellers in Ukraine (an active war zone) and China via third-party integrations like Payoneer. Why is this integration denied to Nigeria?
Stripe: You support over 45 countries but exclude Africa’s largest economy, forcing Nigerian startups to pay $500+ for "Stripe Atlas" just to access standard tools.
The "Lazy Security" Fallacy
Blocking a nation of over 200 million people is an admission of technical failure.

If a platform cannot distinguish between a legitimate Nigerian entrepreneur and a fraudster, their security infrastructure is flawed.

Why aren't you using Identity Verification (IDV)? Robust providers like Smile Identity, Youverify, and QoreID exist. They can instantly verify a user’s BVN (Bank Verification Number) or NIN (National Identity Number).
Why aren't you using Behavioral Biometrics? AI-driven tools can detect fraud by analyzing behavior rather than lazily banning an entire IP range.

Our Demands
We are done asking nicely. We demand that PayPal, Etsy, Stripe, and others:

Implement Fair Verification: Stop the blanket bans. Partner with existing African verification providers (like Smile Identity or Youverify) to vet individuals just as you do in Europe or the US.
Publish Transparent Criteria: Publicly state exactly what security criteria Nigeria is failing to meet, so that our regulators and tech leaders can address it.
Create an Appeals Process: Provide a pathway for legitimate businesses, creators, and professionals to prove their validity and bypass the ban.


Why You Should Sign
This is not just about Nigeria; it is about fairness. If we allow tech giants to discriminate against entire nations based on stereotypes, we allow them to build a broken, unequal internet.

Sign this petition to tell the tech world: Stop the laziness. Stop the discrimination. If your platform security is too weak to handle Nigeria, it is too weak to be trusted with our data. If platforms like Paystack and Peygo can secure Nigerian transactions, so can you.