As mobile banking adoption surges in Nigeria, a new AI-powered banking bot called Xara is offering users a more intuitive way to manage their money via WhatsApp. Launched in June by Nigerian software engineer Sulaiman Adewale, Xara lets users send money, pay bills, and analyse spending through voice, text, or image commands.
Built entirely inside WhatsApp , a platform used by 95% of the nation’s 31.6 million social media users, the bot removes the need to download separate apps, appealing especially to older and less tech-savvy users.
Xara leverages a large language model and multimodal AI that recognises English, Pidgin, and soon local languages like Hausa and Yoruba. Once users onboard via their WhatsApp number, they’re linked to a payment provider, initially 9 Payment Service Bank (9PSB), although the platform is expanding partnerships due to high demand.
With about 10,000 users already signed up and over ₦135 million processed in two weeks, Xara has quickly gained traction, thanks to its ability to process voice notes, read handwritten account numbers, and analyse personal spending habits.
Security remains a concern for users, with many expressing fears over data privacy. Adewale assures that Xara uses WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption, does not retain personal banking information, and includes extra protections like optional PIN verification and advice to lock WhatsApp chats. In cases of compromised accounts, support services can quickly block access, pending user identification. Regulatory compliance is achieved through licensing partnerships with registered banks.
With over 28 million Nigerians still financially excluded, analysts believe Xara could be a game changer. Its seamless, low-data approach offers a simple alternative to QR code payments, which many Nigerians find difficult to use. Financial expert Victor Daniel says tools like Xara could further close the financial inclusion gap. Adewale sees broader potential, aiming to expand Xara across Africa and integrate services like savings, logistics, and even food orders — transforming the WhatsApp chatbox into a full-service financial assistant.