UX/UI Design · Financial Inclusion · Africa Tech

PalmPay

Powering the future of digital finance in Africa with mobile-first solutions and inclusive financial access.

Roles &
Responsibilities

UX Design
UI Design

Project Context

Jun - Aug 2023

Tools Used

Figma
React
TypeScript
Fluent
Web Components

Introduction

🌍 Optimized Professional Version:

In recent years, Africa has experienced rapid growth in mobile internet development, driven by steady improvements in network infrastructure across the continent. Between 2019 and 2022, internet usage in Africa increased by 23%, with the number of internet users surpassing 580 million and reaching an overall penetration rate of 33%. This positions Africa as one of the fastest-growing regions globally in terms of internet and mobile user adoption.

However, due to significant disparities in population size and economic development across different countries, internet penetration rates vary widely. Nations with larger populations tend to lead in both absolute user numbers and penetration levels. For instance, Nigeria, with a population exceeding 222 million, had over 100 million internet users in 2022, reflecting a penetration rate of 51%.

💡 Market Opportunity & User Insights

Against this backdrop of accelerating digital adoption, mobile financial services have emerged as a vital solution to meet the everyday needs of Africa’s young, mobile-first population. PalmPay is one of the fastest-growing fintech platforms in the region, offering a comprehensive suite of services—including mobile payments, money transfers, phone top-ups, utility bill payments, and more.

PalmPay's primary markets are Nigeria and Ghana, where it has rapidly gained traction with over 10 million registered users and monthly transactions exceeding $100 million as of 2022. The app’s user base is predominantly between the ages of 19–30, making it essential to deliver experiences that are not only functional, but also intuitive, fast, and visually engaging.

Project Background

Market

Position

User

PalmPay is one of the fastest-growing mobile payment apps in Africa-Nigeria, with close to 10 million registered users and over $100 million in monthly transactions by 2022.

PalmPay's primary markets are Nigeria and Ghana, where it offers services such as electronic payments, money transfers, cell phone and traffic recharges, utilities and cable TV payments, as well as credit products.

Main Markets
Nigeria and Ghana

Product Advantages
Early Start and Rapid Development

Positioned as a leading pan-African financial payment platform
User base is young, with a high percentage of users between 19-30 years old.

Design Process

PalmPay interaction visual design is thought and designed according to the Double Diamond Model, which is divided into two design phases, identifying the problem and solving the problem through design.

Problems

Target Users
Mainly 19-30 years old
Young people

Occupation
Students 40
Self-employed 40

Product Attributes
Young and trendy
Financial attributes

Fashion Trend
Bold color scheme
Trend Style

Design style derivation
Young/trendy/personality/emotional

Solution

To meet the needs of PalmPay’s core user group—young adults aged 19–30, including students and self-employed individuals—the design strategy focused on creating a visually dynamic, emotionally engaging, and financially trustworthy user experience.

✦ 1. Visual Language: Trend-Driven Yet Functional

We adopted a bold and youthful color palette, combining vibrant gradients and high-contrast accents to reflect the energetic, fashion-forward nature of the brand. Rounded iconography, fluid motion, and micro-interactions were integrated to enhance engagement and deliver a friendly, mobile-native experience.

✦ 2. UI System: Consistency Meets Flexibility

A scalable component-based design system was developed in Figma, ensuring consistency across modules while allowing flexibility for future feature expansions. Special attention was given to maintaining clarity in financial data, readability in small-screen contexts, and intuitive navigation paths to support fast-paced mobile usage.

✦ 3. Brand Expression: Young, Trustworthy, Expressive

Through refined typography, expressive illustrations, and animated visual cues, the redesigned interface communicates a tone that is both professional and personable—building trust while staying relatable to Gen Z and Millennial users.

✦ 4. Interaction & Flow Optimization

User flows were simplified to reduce cognitive load, especially around high-frequency tasks like money transfers and bill payments. We shortened the browsing path and improved conversion points through clearer calls-to-action and contextual prompts.

LOGO

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