Visa, a global leader in digital payments, has released its annual Stay Secure study in Nigeria, examining consumer awareness and behaviors around digital commerce and fraud. The study found that 88% of Nigerian consumers have used AI to assist with shopping, and 97% believe AI-powered tools make online shopping faster and easier.
AI Adoption and Trust
Consumers are embracing AI for various shopping tasks: 54% use it to compare prices, 53% to find gift ideas, and 56% to check reviews or product ratings. However, trust remains a barrier, with only 34% willing to let AI agents complete checkout. Despite this, 89% believe AI will play a critical role in fraud protection in the future, and 76% feel AI has made scams easier to recognize.
Social Commerce and Scam Risks
Social commerce is mainstream, with 83% of Nigerians purchasing directly through social media. However, 51% have experienced a financial scam in the past year, and 57% of those scams occurred on social media—more than on websites, marketplaces, or shopping apps.
Children and Online Scams
The study highlights concerns about children: 76% of consumers say children struggle to recognize scams, and 62% have seen a child fall victim while gaming or shopping online. Additionally, 33% of parents allow children access to mobile payment apps or digital wallets.
Responsibility for Fraud Protection
Consumers expect institutions to lead in fraud protection. Only 7% believe consumers should be primarily responsible; instead, 49% point to banks, 35% to government authorities, and 30% to payment providers. To feel more secure, 64% want real-time alerts from their bank or payment app, and 39% prefer seeing a trusted logo at checkout.
Irene Auma, Head of Risk, Sub-region, Visa, stated: "Visa’s Stay Secure study shows that while online shopping and social commerce continue to grow, scams and fraud are evolving too. Consumers see fraud protection as a shared responsibility, but they expect financial institutions, governments, and payment providers to take the lead, underscoring the importance of secure-by-design payment systems."
She added: "As commerce moves toward more agentic, AI-powered experiences, the study shows that consumers are embracing the convenience AI can bring to shopping but remain cautious when it comes to AI completing purchases on their behalf. With Visa Intelligent Commerce, we are helping enable the next era of commerce built on trust, control and confidence."
About the Study
The Stay Secure study was commissioned by Visa and conducted by Wakefield Research from January to February 2026, surveying 5,800 adults aged 18+ across 17 CEMEA markets, including Nigeria.
