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Google ban awful loan apps in Kenya, Nigeria

Google ban awful loan apps in Kenya, Nigeria
Photo by Rajeshwar Bachu- Ask Nigeria

Loan apps that refuse to submit proof of license risk removal from Play Store.

Over the past few years, the fintech industry has experienced sporadic growth, especially those that provide loan services, as people find it an alternative option to meet their financial needs. Kenya and Nigeria have been the major tech hubs in Africa, providing short-term, no-collateral loans of up to $500. However, due to the lack of regulations, many concerns have been raised by customers as loan app uses many improper ways to recover their funds. Google now requires Kenya and Nigeria loan apps to submit license proof or risk removal from Play Store, its digital distribution service. Those who have applied for licensing and can show proof may be spared. Google’s action came two months after the Digital Credit Providers Regulations took over to protect borrowers from rogue apps with predatory lending strategies and debt-shaming tactics.

Following similar actions in India, Indonesia, and the Philippines, new and old loan apps in Kenya must submit the required documents and information by the end of January next year. Personal loan app developers targeting Kenyans must complete a declaration form and submit supporting documents before publishing. Personal loan apps in Kenya without proper license attribution will be removed from the Play Store, Google said in a policy update. Apps in Nigeria must get a “verifiable approval letter” from the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).

This move will ensure compliance among the loan apps.

The FCCPC rule is lesser stringent than that of Kenya, came into effect in August to protect borrowers, and requires lending apps to declare their fees and show how they receive feedback and resolve. However, both rules for online lenders are meant to eliminate undesirable players and help the sector grow. Under the new Digital Credit Providers regulations, the Central Bank of Kenya will keep an eye on digital lenders in Kenya. Although the loan market is prolific, the lack of strict rules and Google Play Store’s sloppy way of vetting apps has attracted bad actors, so the government has had to take steps to protect people.

In Kenya, the Central Bank has only approved 10 of the 288 loan applications that were submitted. Some of the most well-known ones, such as Zenka and Tala, which are backed by Silicon Valley, have yet to be granted licenses. It is expected of Kenya’s digital lenders that they will not use threats or engage in debt-shaming practices of any kind. This includes the posting of personal information on online platforms, the sending of unauthorized calls and messages to customers, and accessing customers’ contact lists in order to get in touch with them in the event that they default on their loans.

Most creditor shares debtors’ personal information to recover their funds.

For the purposes of credit scoring and loan disbursement, loan apps capture borrowers’ phone data, including contacts, and require access to messages to look up the history of mobile money transactions. Rogue creditors have been giving debt collectors access to customers’ personal information. According to reports, the Kenyan data protection commissioner is looking into 40 different loan apps for possible data breaches. Since loan apps were previously unregulated, the new law mandates that they disclose their pricing structure, terms, and conditions to consumers in advance.

In addition to uncovering and providing evidence of their sources of funding, the apps are also expected to inform the authorities before launching new products or making modifications to existing ones. Kenyan lawmakers have given the banking regulator the authority to revoke licenses of operators who violate customer confidentiality, a provision that was added to the new law passed by the country’s National Assembly, meaning that digital lenders who share the personal information of loan defaulters with third parties risk having their licenses revoked. Most loan apps require borrowers to provide their phone numbers in order to process the loan.

Abuses will be prevented following several reports.

Following the implementation of a law intended to regulate the sector, Digital Credit Providers (DCPs) in Kenya will need to disclose and support their funding sources. The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), the country’s financial regulator, released the new rules on Monday. They also say that digital lenders must get a license. After reports that several companies were targeting vulnerable debtors in the country and then attempting to go to extreme lengths to retrieve their money, Google said on Thursday that it had removed some personal loan apps from the Play Store in Kenya and was introducing stronger measures to stop the abuse.


Related Link

Google Play: Website

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Abusi
Abusi
10 months ago

Google has done the right thing. Banning this awful loan apps is the right thing to do. This loan apps are notorious in the way they ensure people pay back the loans. That is very illegal in nature.

theApr
theApr
10 months ago

The applications are required to tell the authorities before releasing new items or making changes to existing ones, in addition to identifying and supplying proof of their financing sources. The laws are necessary to protect consumers.

jdpumping
jdpumping
10 months ago

kudos to Google all these loan apps are just out here to frustrate people how much are they loaning them that they send threatening messages and also got heir loved ones that too much.

Haykaylyon26
Haykaylyon26
10 months ago

This is a very good thing done by Google ban this lawful loan they really frustrate and trouble people any loan app that refuse to submit license should be removal since that can’t submit

Nwachukwu Kingsley
Nwachukwu Kingsley
10 months ago

Wow, The financial technology industry has seen sporadic growth over the course of the past few years, particularly in companies that offer loan services.

Godsewill Ifeanyi
Godsewill Ifeanyi
10 months ago

Google took this move two months after the Digital Credit Providers Regulations went into effect, which were designed to protect borrowers from fraudulent apps that engage in predatory lending practices and shame-based debt collection schemes.

Hassan Isa
Hassan Isa
10 months ago

Before their apps can be published, developers of personal loan software aimed at Kenyans are required to fill out a declaration form and submit supporting documents.

Taiwoo
Taiwoo
10 months ago

To safeguard borrowers, the FCCPC mandated in August that lending apps disclose their costs and demonstrate how they collect feedback and resolve complaints, albeit this regulation is less rigorous than Kenya’s.

Kazeem1
Kazeem1
10 months ago

Google Play Store’s lax approach to assessing apps and the lack of stringent regulations have attracted criminal actors, necessitating government action to protect users.

Adesanyaj72
Adesanyaj72
10 months ago

The new rule requires that lending applications, which were previously unregulated, inform users in advance about their pricing structure, terms, and conditions.

Christiana
Christiana
10 months ago

Over the past couple of years, the fintech business has enjoyed irregular growth, particularly among companies that offer lending services, as individuals have found it to be a viable choice for meeting their financial demands.

Tolaniiii
Tolaniiii
10 months ago

If loan apps from Kenya and Nigeria do not provide confirmation that they have a license, Google will remove them from the Play Store, the digital distribution service it operates.

Chibuzor
Chibuzor
10 months ago

The sending of unsolicited phone calls and text messages to clients, and the unlawful accessing of customers’ contact lists in order to get in touch with them about loan defaults all fall under this category.

Iyanu12345ogg
Iyanu12345ogg
10 months ago

Great works by google to ban this loan apps…This loan apps are notorious in the way they ensure people pay back the loans. Leading to several setbacks like disgrace, threats, depression and death(committing suicide).

Tonerol10
Tonerol10
10 months ago

Google ban awful loan apps in Kenya, Nigeria. Am support of it, they are not operating well

Ultra0711
Ultra0711
10 months ago

Two months after the implementation of the Digital Credit Providers Regulations, which are aimed at protecting borrowers from fraudulent apps that engage in predatory lending practices and shame-based debt collection schemes, Google made this decision.

Adeolastan
Adeolastan
10 months ago

This is a very good initiative from Google organisation and this should also extend to many Africa countries especially Nigeria because all this loan app operators are very unprofessional and dubious in their act.

DimOla
DimOla
10 months ago

The step taken by Google to ban awful loan apps in Kenya and Nigeria without proves of license is good one that will help in sanitizing the Google play of these pestified loan apps.

SarahDiv
SarahDiv
10 months ago

I wholely support the ban on loan apps without license on Google play store. This will reduce all illegal loan apps on the Google play store.

Remi1
Remi1
10 months ago

The fintech industry has experienced sporadic growth over the past several years, particularly among businesses that provide lending services, as people have discovered it to be an effective option for addressing their financial needs.