If you’ve been looking to know the current prices of POS machines in Nigeria, you’re just on the right page. Read on to learn more.

There was a time in the history of trading and commerce that one had to carry a lump sum amount of yams in exchange for a goat. Times changed and the mode of payment was cowries. Further down the lane, paper currencies and coins became the means of transaction. Now in the 21^st century all you need do is swipe a card, punch some digits and your transaction is successful.

A POS (Point Of Sale) terminal, more commonly called “POS machine” in Nigeria, is a portable device that allows businesses accept bank card payments for transactions. Most POS terminals are issued by banks. The POS system was introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria in 2012 as part of its plan to enforce the cashless policy in financial transactions across the country.

Point-of-sale terminals have become necessary machines at any store or business that accepts electronic cards. This article discusses some important points regarding the advantages of opting for a POS machines, selection process from the different products available and their price range.

Why choose a POS machine?

Unlike the traditional cash register system that requires an employee to enter the pricing amount in checking out customers, the Point of Sale system is a more advanced design of cash machine with higher functionality. The POS system uses your database to process transaction. As you enter the item codes, it automatically brings up the price and adds up purchased item, tax as well as adjusting inventory levels. Handheld mobile terminals are the latest innovation that let your employees complete transactions on the fly from anywhere in the store.

You should consider the additional benefits of improved, handheld smart-terminals to increase the level of service that your staff can provide.

Get rid of stress

POS machines reduce the stress of lifting cash from the sales point to the bank. It also eliminates the risk of loss or theft associated with carrying cash from one point to another in the country.  With POS machines, the inconvenience of cashing cheques and the delay of clearing cheque transactions is totally eliminated.

Easy to use

POS machines are simple to use. A credit card is easily read by the machine and the sale immediately sent to be approved. In short, the use of one of these machine saves on business costs and makes the whole set up more efficient. These types of units make it very easy to monitor sales and process those sales very quickly.

Instant payment confirmation

As a business owner, you can make instant confirmation for the payment of goods and services in your bank account. Once a transaction is successful, the POS machine will vend a teller for the customer who will also be notified of the payment made instantly. They also assure the customer he is paying the right amount and receiving the correct change should he prefer to pay by cash.

POS machines in Nigeria: Popular brands

Some of the popular brands that manufacture POS terminals are VeriFone, Hypercom, and Ingenico. These brands offer simple credit card processing to more sophisticated models. It is absolutely free of charge to get a POS terminal.

Majority of the banks in Nigeria offer POS support and service to their existing account holders. You will only be expected to make some POS charges to the bank for every successful transaction you accept with the use of the machine.

POS Machine Prices in Nigeria

As stated earlier, getting a POS machine in Nigeria is absolutely free of charge, provided you get yours from one of the reputable commercial banks in the country.

In case you’re wondering what the bank stands to gain from giving you the machine for free, get this clearly: the issuing bank makes money on the long term by charging a fixed commission (between 0.25% and 1.5%, depending on the bank) per transaction done through each POS terminal issued.

To get a POS machine from any bank, all you need is to have an account (preferably current or corporate account) with the bank. Some banks are even fine with you having just a savings account with them.

Note, however, that there are now some other organizations issuing POS machines at a one-time fee. These dealers/suppliers don’t charge you for transactions because you would have paid for the machine upfront.

POS machine dealers in Nigeria

Here are some POS dealers in Nigeria that also issue POS terminals. So, if you think going through the bank isn’t for you, then get your machine through any of these companies:

• BFM Consulting (36B, 2nd Floor, Toyin Street, Toyin Street, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria)
• Neo Hitech Solutions Ltd (62B, Opebi Road, Opebi, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria)
• Elite ShieldPro (2, cmd road, ikosi ketu, Magodo, Kosofe, Lagos, Nigeria)
• Platinum Grade (5, Mojisola Street, Ifako-Agege, Ifako Ijaiye, Lagos, Nigeria)
• ICT and I (Suite 4, 21, Opebi Road, Opebi, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria)
• Wamcom Associates (5, Medical Road, Adjacent Computer Village, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria)
• Boromax Global Limited (12, Simbiat Abiola Way, Computer Village, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria)
• E-Print Solutions (E13/01, Arena Shopping Complex, Bolade, Oshodi Isolo, Lagos, Nigeria)
• Citiserve Limited ( 368, Ikorodu Road, Maryland, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria)

Getting a POS machine in Nigeria

On having decided to install a POS machine, the next decision to make is what type. Of course cost will be a factor as well as the needs of your business. The following should be considered:

Payment Types: Before you start to look for a POS machine, establish the payment types you want it to handle. Debit card payment types usually incur a transaction fee. Electronic Check Conversions processes paper checks electronically. POS terminal software can be customized to accept loyalty cards. ATM cards work as both debit and credit cards. To be able to process debit cards, your machine has to provide a keypad for processing customers’ personal identification number (PIN).

Purchasing or leasing: You may choose to buy a new POS machine. Used machines are also widely available, if you’re on a tight budget. The other options are to rent a POS machine or lease one.

The Nature of your customers: What type of customers patronise your business? Are they the class of people that have gotten the orientation of the use of Debit cards? Or are they common people without understanding of any form of technology?

Cost of Usage: You will need to familiarise yourself with the cost of using a POS machine in Nigeria. If you get a POS machine, you’ll be expected to make some certain payments off the value of every successful transaction or payment accepted via the use of the machine. The transaction fees vary from one bank to the other.

Power supply: Electricity powers up the POS machine as it has a rechargeable battery in it.

Availability of network: POS machines make use of network to function so you may need to consider the availability of network in your environment. Network issues can be frustrating and bad for business.

Downsides of Installing a POS Machine

Cost

The only thing that could discourage a business owner from installing a POS machine is the cost. This has to be weighed against future cost savings and benefits of having a unit installed against staying with a more traditional cash register. However, businesses do have lots of different alternatives.

Innovation

There may also be a concern that the rapid rate of innovation could make a POS machine obsolete in a relatively short time, making its acquisition a waste of money. That argument can be countered by the fact that customer protection is becoming paramount, so the security of the POS machine system ensures it will remain in place for quite a while yet.