Step-by-Step Guide

From Sign-Up to Live Transactions in Under 48 Hours

Binoova is infrastructure — not an intermediary. Here is exactly how the platform works for Akawo / Susu operators and for Merchants offering pay-small-small.

5 Steps to a Fully Digital Savings Business

Your brand. Your clients. Your money. Binoova is the engine in the background.

1
Onboarding

Subscribe & Complete KYC via Squad

Pay your annual subscription (₦30,000 Basic or ₦100,000 Enterprise) and complete the Squad merchant KYC — BVN, government ID, and bank account details. This is a one-time process that unlocks your Merchant API key and activates your Binoova account.

Your Own Subdomain
e.g. mary-savings.binoova.com — shared with clients
SMS Sender ID Activated
Clients see YOUR business name, not Binoova
Web & Mobile Dashboards
Operator admin + client-facing dashboards go live
Timeline
KYC verified within 24–48 hours
2
Client Onboarding

Share Your Link — Clients Enroll Themselves

Send your unique Binoova business link via WhatsApp, SMS, or word of mouth. Clients visit your branded page, choose their saving amount, frequency (daily / weekly / monthly), and end date. They add their debit card once — the system does the rest.

Virtual Bank Account
Each client gets a named virtual account (BVN required)
Flexible Schedules
Daily, weekly or monthly — client chooses at enrollment
No Smartphone Required
USSD payment option for feature phone users
Client Dashboard
Each client views their own balance and history
3
Automated Collection

Cards Auto-Debit on Schedule — Money Goes Straight to You

On the agreed date, Squad charges the client's card and remits the funds directly to your registered bank account. Binoova never receives, holds, or routes the money. Only transaction data is sent to Binoova to update dashboards.

Non-Custodial Architecture
Squad → Your Bank Account. Binoova never appears in the money chain
Instant SMS Confirmation
Sent from YOUR sender ID to your client within seconds
Missed Payment Alerts
Automatic reminders sent when cards fail or payments are late
Multiple Payment Methods
Card, USSD, direct bank transfer — all supported
4
Real-Time Sync

Dashboards Update Automatically — Both Sides See Everything

Squad sends transaction data to Binoova immediately after each payment. Both your operator dashboard and your client's dashboard update in real time. No manual entry. No disputes. No paper records to reconcile.

Operator Analytics
Total collections, per-client breakdown, weekly trends
Client Payment History
Each client sees their full ledger anytime, anywhere
5
Trust & Growth

Consistency Ratings Build Your Reputation — and Your Client Base

Every saver earns a 1–5 star consistency rating based on their payment record. Reliable savers see their rating improve. You gain a data-driven picture of your most and least dependable clients — enabling smarter business decisions and stronger client relationships.

1–5 Star Saver Ratings
Consistent clients build trust over time with verifiable data
Private by Default
Scores are visible only within each operator's ecosystem

5 Steps to Automated Pay-Small-Small

Offer instalment plans for any product — phones, land, appliances, furniture — with zero paperwork and automated enforcement.

1
Setup

Subscribe & Get Your Merchant Subdomain

Pay the annual Merchant BNPL subscription (₦30,000 / $50) and complete Squad KYC. You receive your merchant storefront subdomain instantly — no website needed. Your buyers navigate to your branded page to view products and begin instalment agreements.

Branded Storefront
Your business name on a subdomain — ready to share
Configure Your Terms
Set default fees, interest, and instalment rules freely
2
Agreement

You and the Buyer Agree Terms — System Enforces Them

Create an instalment plan for any product sale. Specify the item, total price, deposit, number of instalments, frequency (daily / weekly / monthly), and any default fees. The buyer reviews and accepts. Once agreed, the system enforces the schedule automatically.

Custom Schedules
Daily, weekly or monthly — any frequency you need
Digital Agreement Record
Both parties have a timestamped, immutable record
3
Auto-Debit

Cards Auto-Charged on Agreed Dates — Money Goes Directly to You

On each agreed instalment date, Squad debits the buyer's card and remits funds directly to your bank account. You never wait. You never chase. Missed payments trigger automatic alerts to the buyer immediately.

Non-Custodial Model
Money never passes through Binoova — ever
Default Fee Automation
Configured fees apply automatically on missed payments
4
Tracking

Both Merchant and Buyer Get Live Dashboards

You see all active instalment agreements, payment statuses, and upcoming collections. Your buyers see their balance owed, what they've paid, and when next payment is due. Full transparency — no disputes, no "I forgot."

Merchant Dashboard
All agreements, statuses and collection totals in one view
Buyer Dashboard
Buyer tracks their own repayment progress transparently
5
Buyer Scoring

Buyers Build a Payment Score with You — You Sell More

Every buyer builds a payment score specific to your merchant account based on consistency and reliability. Good-paying buyers become lower-risk, making it easier to extend more credit. Defaulters are flagged — protecting your business over time.

Buyer Payment Score
Tracks payment reliability across all agreements with you
Merchant-Scoped Scores
Scores are private to your merchant account — not shared externally

How the Money Actually Flows

Transparency you can show your clients. Binoova never appears in the payment chain.

👤
Client / Buyer

Card · USSD · Bank Transfer

💳
Squad

Licensed payment processor. Handles card tokenisation and settlement.

🏦
Operator / Merchant Bank Account

Funds remitted directly. Binoova is bypassed entirely.

Binoova never holds, processes, or routes your money. Our role is exclusively data: dashboards, records, SMS notifications, and scoring — nothing more.

Squad sends transaction data to Binoova after each successful settlement → Dashboards update in real-time for both operator and client.

Built for These Businesses

Binoova works for a wide range of informal and semi-formal commerce operators across West Africa.

Akawo / Esusu Collectors

Daily cash collectors who currently manage 20–80 clients manually. Binoova multiplies their capacity and eliminates morning collection runs.

Susu / Rotating Savings Groups

Group savings with rotating payouts. Binoova tracks contributions, manages payout order, and sends confirmations to every member automatically.

Phone & Electronics Merchants

Sell high-value devices on instalment with automated enforcement. No more defaulted sales or manual tracking spreadsheets.

Property & Land Sellers

Manage long-term land payment plans — monthly or quarterly — with a digital agreement that protects both buyer and seller.

Furniture & Appliance Dealers

Offer pay-small-small for big-ticket items. Buyers get what they need now; you get paid on schedule with zero admin overhead.

Cooperatives & Groups

Multi-member savings cooperatives with committee oversight, contribution records, and digital audit trails for annual meetings.

Traditional vs Binoova

The real difference digitisation makes — in daily operations, client trust, and business growth.

Area Traditional Method With Binoova
Record Keeping
Paper notebooks — prone to loss, damage, disputes
Digital records, cloud backup, always accessible
Client Capacity
Memory-limited — 25 to 50 clients maximum
500+ clients on Basic, unlimited on Enterprise
Payment Collection
Physical cash rounds, security risk, time-consuming
Automated card debits, USSD, bank transfer — zero visits
Client Communication
Phone calls, physical visits — inconsistent, expensive
Instant SMS from your business name, automated reminders
Payment Disputes
Frequent — "I paid already" with no verifiable proof
Both parties see same real-time ledger — disputes eliminated
Business Branding
No formal brand — clients may not trust the business
Your subdomain, your SMS sender ID, professional receipts
Admin Time Daily
4–6 hours chasing payments, reconciling records
Under 30 minutes — review dashboards, focus on growth
Regulatory Risk
Unstructured operations attract regulatory scrutiny
Clean SaaS model — Binoova holds no money, reduces exposure

Common Questions

Everything you need to know before getting started.

Does Binoova ever hold my money?

No — and this is by design. Binoova is pure SaaS infrastructure. Payments are processed by Squad (a licensed payment processor) and remitted directly to your registered bank account. Binoova only receives transaction data, which is used to update your dashboards and trigger SMS confirmations.

How long does onboarding take?

Most operators are live within 24–48 hours. Day 1: Subscribe and submit KYC documents. Day 2: KYC verification and account activation. Day 2–3: Share your link with clients and begin collecting. Our team supports you through every step.

What if my clients don't have smartphones?

Binoova supports USSD payments (*737# and similar), which work on any mobile phone — no internet required. Each client also gets a virtual bank account they can pay into via standard bank transfer. Smartphone access is optional, not required.

Can I use both the Akawo and the Merchant BNPL products?

Yes. The two products operate independently and can be subscribed to separately. An operator running a Susu group who also sells goods on instalment can subscribe to both plans (Basic Akawo + Merchant BNPL) and manage them from their respective dashboards.

What happens when I exceed 500 clients on the Basic plan?

When you cross 500 active clients, your account is automatically flagged for upgrade to the Enterprise plan (₦100,000/yr in Nigeria). Our team contacts you to facilitate the transition — your data, clients, and operations remain uninterrupted throughout.

How are SMS units charged?

SMS units are purchased separately and topped up as needed — like mobile data. Every payment confirmation sent to a client consumes one unit. Your subscription covers all platform features; SMS is billed separately so you only pay for what you actually send.

Is Binoova available outside Nigeria and Liberia?

Currently Binoova is live in Nigeria and Liberia. Expansion to further West African markets is on the roadmap. If you are based in another country and want to register early interest, please reach out via the contact form on our website.

Ready to Go Digital?

Join operators across Nigeria and Liberia who have transformed their savings and merchant businesses. Your money stays yours — we just make it smarter.