Zenith Bank Plc has introduced a Visa Signature Card aimed at deepening its engagement with affluent customers, as the lender seeks to expand premium banking services for high-spending and globally mobile clients.
Emmanuel Oladimeji, general manager of the retail group at Zenith Bank, said the product builds on the bank’s existing range of premium card offerings, which already include Gold and Platinum cards tailored to wealthy customers.
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“What we are launching today is essentially a step up from what is already working well for us,” he said at a press briefing in Lagos. “Zenith Bank has long served affluent customers in the market, and this partnership with Visa allows us to introduce another level of engagement for individuals who value convenience and travel internationally.”
The Visa Signature Card is designed for customers who frequently travel and make high-value transactions both locally and abroad. According to Oladimeji, the card will enable seamless payments and lifestyle benefits for customers wherever they go in the world.
Visa said the product was developed after studying the lifestyle patterns of affluent consumers, which show strong spending on travel, shopping and everyday digital payments.
Seun Adaramola, marketing director for West Africa at Visa, said the card integrates global and domestic lifestyle benefits into a single offering.
“In designing this proposition, we conducted research to understand the lifestyle of these customers. Travel is a major part of their lives, whether for business or personal reasons, and shopping also forms a significant part of their spending habits,” Adaramola said.
She noted that Visa has partnered with merchants around the world to offer discounts and exclusive benefits to cardholders when they make purchases with the Visa Signature Card.
“These offers apply across key travel corridors such as the United Kingdom, the United States and South Africa, covering sectors like lifestyle, beauty, wellness and restaurants,” she said.
Beyond international benefits, Visa has also partnered with merchants within Nigeria to provide local offers across spas, restaurants and other premium services, ensuring that customers enjoy benefits whether they are abroad or at home.
Another major feature of the card is airport lounge access across several international airports, with many lounges allowing cardholders to bring a guest when they travel.
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Adaramola added that the card also provides purchase protection and insurance coverage for goods bought with the card, allowing customers to file claims if items are damaged or lost.
The Visa Signature Card also comes with concierge and travel support services designed to assist customers in unfamiliar locations. These services include helping cardholders locate medical assistance abroad or arrange transportation and other logistics while traveling.
Zenith Bank said the new card is part of a broader strategy to serve the growing population of affluent and high-net-worth individuals in Nigeria.
Celestina Appeal, assistant general manager and head of card services at the bank, said affluent customers are typically individuals with annual turnovers of about N25 million and above, who travel frequently and have strong spending capacity.
“They value convenience and expect services that match their lifestyle,” she said. “You can identify them by their spending patterns, where they shop and the kinds of services they use, often at premium outlets and high-end restaurants both locally and internationally.”
Appeal noted that some of the bank’s elite customers already use the Visa Infinite card, often referred to as the “black card,” and the new Visa Signature card provides an additional option within the premium segment.
Visa described affluence as a progression that ranges from mass affluent customers to high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, including senior executives, entrepreneurs and business owners.
“What they value most is convenience, security and the ability to access services whenever they need them,” Adaramola said.
To help customers track and access their benefits, Visa has introduced a digital platform known as the Visa Companion App. Once cardholders register their card on the app, they can view available benefits such as airport lounge access and merchant discounts based on their location.
Visa said more than 300 global merchants and over 50 local merchants are already part of the programme, making it easier for cardholders to access offers without memorising participating outlets.
Zenith Bank also assured customers of security protections in the event of lost or stolen cards.
“If a customer loses their card, they only need to inform the bank and the card will be immediately blocked so that no one else can use it,” Appeal said, adding that customers can also block their cards directly through the bank’s mobile banking application.
Eligibility for the Visa Signature Card is determined through a broader assessment of a customer’s financial profile and relationship with the bank rather than a single balance threshold.
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While turnover is considered, Appeal said the bank may also evaluate factors such as a customer’s professional position and overall value to the institution.
The official launch of the Visa Signature Card is scheduled for later this month, with Zenith Bank and Visa planning a broader awareness campaign ahead of the unveiling.
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