Evaluating the emergence of contactless digital payment technology for transportation

Abstract

This study explores the adoption of contactless digital payment technology (Cowry card) for transportation in Nigeria, a developing country with inherent challenges in digitalisation. The research addresses the engagement of Nigerian consumers with this technology and provides insights that can be applied to other developing countries facing similar difficulties. The study adopts the Rogers innovation-decision model as a theoretical framework and employs a multi-staged qualitative methodology, including interviews, ethnographic fieldwork, and netnography. The challenges consumers face in adopting this innovative technology are examined, along with the adaptation of stakeholders and the social function of money in a cashless payment system. The research contributes to understanding contactless digital technologies, technology adoption, and digital transformation. It highlights the need for customised approaches to technology adoption, considering each country's unique infrastructural and economic challenges. The study emphasises the importance of considering hybrid systems involving digital technology and human interaction to support and reassure consumers.