BlinqCheckout: Transforming Online Payments Across Africa.
BlinqCheckout: Transforming Online Payments Across Africa.
BlinqCheckout: Transforming Online Payments Across Africa.
Lead Product Designer
3 months
Web App
UX, Product Design, Product Strategy
Fintech
Live website
My role
My role
I led the design for this project, collaborating closely with a junior designer and working cross-functionally with a team of three engineers, one product manager, and QA testers.
I led the design for this project, collaborating closely with a junior designer and working cross-functionally with a team of three engineers, one product manager, and QA testers.
Overview
Overview
When merchants think about payment processing, they often brace for complexity—delayed settlements, disjointed user experiences, and constant worries about fraud. That was the landscape we stepped into.
Our journey began with a simple, yet ambitious question:
What if paying online could feel effortless—for both customers and merchants?
We spoke with merchants juggling multiple platforms just to offer their customers basic payment flexibility. We heard from users frustrated by clunky checkouts and limited options. And we saw firsthand how slow settlements and fraud vulnerabilities were silently eating into business growth.
When merchants think about payment processing, they often brace for complexity—delayed settlements, disjointed user experiences, and constant worries about fraud. That was the landscape we stepped into.
Our journey began with a simple, yet ambitious question:
What if paying online could feel effortless—for both customers and merchants?
We spoke with merchants juggling multiple platforms just to offer their customers basic payment flexibility. We heard from users frustrated by clunky checkouts and limited options. And we saw firsthand how slow settlements and fraud vulnerabilities were silently eating into business growth.
Stepping into the Problem
Stepping into the Problem
Many online stores face challenges with their checkout processes, often leading to cart abandonment and lost sales. Customers are frequently frustrated by complicated, slow, or limited payment options, especially when international transactions are involved. Merchants also struggle with integrating a variety of payment methods and currencies into their systems. Blinqcheckout addresses these issues by offering a streamlined, customizable checkout experience that reduces friction for users while giving businesses the tools they need to process payments efficiently across various platforms and currencies.
Three themes kept emerging:
"I struggle to onboard on platforms"
"Some payment methods fail more often than others."
"I need more control without asking engineering every time.
Many online stores face challenges with their checkout processes, often leading to cart abandonment and lost sales. Customers are frequently frustrated by complicated, slow, or limited payment options, especially when international transactions are involved. Merchants also struggle with integrating a variety of payment methods and currencies into their systems. Blinqcheckout addresses these issues by offering a streamlined, customizable checkout experience that reduces friction for users while giving businesses the tools they need to process payments efficiently across various platforms and currencies.
Three themes kept emerging:
"I struggle to onboard on platforms"
"Some payment methods fail more often than others."
"I need more control without asking engineering every time.
Many online stores face challenges with their checkout processes, often leading to cart abandonment and lost sales. Customers are frequently frustrated by complicated, slow, or limited payment options, especially when international transactions are involved. Merchants also struggle with integrating a variety of payment methods and currencies into their systems. Blinqcheckout addresses these issues by offering a streamlined, customizable checkout experience that reduces friction for users while giving businesses the tools they need to process payments efficiently across various platforms and currencies.
Three themes kept emerging:
"I struggle to onboard on platforms"
"Some payment methods fail more often than others."
"I need more control without asking engineering every time.
Business goals & objectives
Business goals & objectives
Expand payment channels, reduce checkout abandonment, ensure compliance (KYC/KYB).
Allow businesses to cater to a global audience by enabling cross-border payments and offering multi-currency support without the need for complex integrations.
Provide near-instant payment updates and settlements
By making the payment process easier and more reliable, businesses can build trust and improve customer retention.
Offer actionable insights and data to merchants about their transactions, helping them optimize payment strategies and improve sales.
Expand payment channels, reduce checkout abandonment, ensure compliance (KYC/KYB).
Allow businesses to cater to a global audience by enabling cross-border payments and offering multi-currency support without the need for complex integrations.
Provide near-instant payment updates and settlements
By making the payment process easier and more reliable, businesses can build trust and improve customer retention.
Offer actionable insights and data to merchants about their transactions, helping them optimize payment strategies and improve sales.
Our 6-12 Month Success Metrics
Our 6-12 Month Success Metrics
To ensure the product’s impact and growth, we set clear, measurable goals for the first 6-12 months post-launch. Our focus was on two key objectives:
Onboard 5,000 merchants within the first 6 months – Our goal was to empower a large number of businesses by equipping them with a streamlined payment collection solution that simplifies operations and drives growth.
Facilitate $100 million in transactions within the first 6 months – By ensuring seamless and reliable payment experiences, we aimed to drive significant transaction volume, showcasing the platform’s value to merchants and its potential to revolutionize the digital payments landscape.
To ensure the product’s impact and growth, we set clear, measurable goals for the first 6-12 months post-launch. Our focus was on two key objectives:
Onboard 5,000 merchants within the first 6 months – Our goal was to empower a large number of businesses by equipping them with a streamlined payment collection solution that simplifies operations and drives growth.
Facilitate $100 million in transactions within the first 6 months – By ensuring seamless and reliable payment experiences, we aimed to drive significant transaction volume, showcasing the platform’s value to merchants and its potential to revolutionize the digital payments landscape.
Design Methodology & Process
Design Methodology & Process
Research
We interviewed 20+ merchant and business owners and their customers to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges, their pain points, and objectives.
Team Collaboration
After collecting the recordings from the user interviews, we synthesised the data and grouped the findings into themes.
How Might We
To align our understanding of user challenges identified during research with opportunities for innovative problem-solving
Wireframes (sketches)
I created simple sketches on paper and in greyscales to focus on the main functions and how it feels to use.
Design System
Following the Atomic design system principles, we created atoms, molecules, and organisms to develop a robust design system.
High Fidelity
PrototypesAfter rounds of explorations and critique with the team on key low-fi flows, I converted to high fidelity designs.
Research
We interviewed 20+ merchant and business owners and their customers to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges, their pain points, and objectives.
Team Collaboration
After collecting the recordings from the user interviews, we synthesised the data and grouped the findings into themes.
How Might We
To align our understanding of user challenges identified during research with opportunities for innovative problem-solving
Wireframes (sketches)
I created simple sketches on paper and in greyscales to focus on the main functions and how it feels to use.
Design System
Following the Atomic design system principles, we created atoms, molecules, and organisms to develop a robust design system.
High Fidelity
PrototypesAfter rounds of explorations and critique with the team on key low-fi flows, I converted to high fidelity designs.
Research
We interviewed 20+ merchant and business owners and their customers to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges, their pain points, and objectives.
Team Collaboration
After collecting the recordings from the user interviews, we synthesised the data and grouped the findings into themes.
How Might We
To align our understanding of user challenges identified during research with opportunities for innovative problem-solving
Wireframes (sketches)
I created simple sketches on paper and in greyscales to focus on the main functions and how it feels to use.
Design System
Following the Atomic design system principles, we created atoms, molecules, and organisms to develop a robust design system.
High Fidelity
PrototypesAfter rounds of explorations and critique with the team on key low-fi flows, I converted to high fidelity designs.
User Experience
User Experience
Our research combined several qualitative and quantitative methods to understand the needs of merchants and customers in the African payment ecosystem. We conducted user interviews with merchants of varying business sizes, ran 5 usability tests with existing merchant checkout solutions, and analyzed 4 competitors in the market. We also conducted 3–4 semi-structured qualitative interviews, chosen for their open-ended and flexible format, which allowed us to gather deeper insights into user attitudes, experiences, and expectations around digital payments.
Merchants frequently struggled with complex onboarding and KYC processes, as well as technical barriers to integration. They also lacked clear visibility into transaction statuses and settlements. Both customers and merchants emphasized that transaction security was more important than speed. These insights highlight the need for simpler integrations, transparent transaction tracking, and support for preferred regional payment methods.
Our research combined several qualitative and quantitative methods to understand the needs of merchants and customers in the African payment ecosystem. We conducted user interviews with merchants of varying business sizes, ran 5 usability tests with existing merchant checkout solutions, and analyzed 4 competitors in the market. We also conducted 3–4 semi-structured qualitative interviews, chosen for their open-ended and flexible format, which allowed us to gather deeper insights into user attitudes, experiences, and expectations around digital payments.
Merchants frequently struggled with complex onboarding and KYC processes, as well as technical barriers to integration. They also lacked clear visibility into transaction statuses and settlements. Both customers and merchants emphasized that transaction security was more important than speed. These insights highlight the need for simpler integrations, transparent transaction tracking, and support for preferred regional payment methods.
Visual Design & Solution
Visual Design & Solution
At this stage, I focused on crafting the visual design for the Blinqcheckout. The outcome is a clean, modern interface that aligns with the Blinqpay brand conveying trust, clarity, and a sense of streamlined professionalism.
What I contributed:
Vision boards to establish visual direction
Wireframe and sketches
High-fidelity UI design
Interactive prototyping
Design system components
Responsive layouts across mobile and desktop
At this stage, I focused on crafting the visual design for the Blinqcheckout. The outcome is a clean, modern interface that aligns with the Blinqpay brand conveying trust, clarity, and a sense of streamlined professionalism.
What I contributed:
Vision boards to establish visual direction
Wireframe and sketches
High-fidelity UI design
Interactive prototyping
Design system components
Responsive layouts across mobile and desktop
Onboarding
Onboarding
The process begins with a step-by-step KYC submission designed to ensure compliance and security. Requirements vary based on business type, with tailored document checklists provided accordingly. Progress can be saved at any stage, allowing for flexibility during submission. While KYC review is underway, test mode access is available, enabling seamless integration and functionality testing without delay.
The process begins with a step-by-step KYC submission designed to ensure compliance and security. Requirements vary based on business type, with tailored document checklists provided accordingly. Progress can be saved at any stage, allowing for flexibility during submission. While KYC review is underway, test mode access is available, enabling seamless integration and functionality testing without delay.
Get Started Page
Get Started Page
The Get Started page was designed to guide users through a seamless onboarding experience by surfacing the most critical actions needed for successful product integration. From continuing KYC submissions to exploring the dashboard via an interactive tour, users are equipped with clarity and momentum from the outset. Centralized access to API documentation, test/live keys, and environment toggling ensures developers can test and deploy with confidence.
The Get Started page was designed to guide users through a seamless onboarding experience by surfacing the most critical actions needed for successful product integration. From continuing KYC submissions to exploring the dashboard via an interactive tour, users are equipped with clarity and momentum from the outset. Centralized access to API documentation, test/live keys, and environment toggling ensures developers can test and deploy with confidence.
Overview Dashboard
Overview Dashboard
The overview dashboard was designed to give users a clear, real-time picture of their transaction activity and wallet balance, all in one place. Whether it’s tracking the total number of transactions, spotting trends through charts, or quickly filtering by date ranges like “Last 7 days” or “This Year,” users can get the insights they need without digging around. They can easily top up or withdraw from their wallet, view detailed transaction breakdowns based on type, and even search or download records when needed.
The overview dashboard was designed to give users a clear, real-time picture of their transaction activity and wallet balance, all in one place. Whether it’s tracking the total number of transactions, spotting trends through charts, or quickly filtering by date ranges like “Last 7 days” or “This Year,” users can get the insights they need without digging around. They can easily top up or withdraw from their wallet, view detailed transaction breakdowns based on type, and even search or download records when needed.
Flexible Payments
Flexible Payments
To support the varied ways merchants collect and manage payments, we introduced three key features: Payment Links, Invoices, and Settlements. With Payment Links, users can generate branded, secure links to collect payments without writing a line of code, making it perfect for both quick one-off transactions and remote sales. Invoices allow merchants to send professional, itemized payment requests via email, complete with automatic PDF generation and tracking for paid, unpaid, and due statuses. Behind the scenes, the Settlements dashboard gives users clarity over when and how their funds are being disbursed, with full visibility into transaction dates, fees, and payout statuses.
To support the varied ways merchants collect and manage payments, we introduced three key features: Payment Links, Invoices, and Settlements. With Payment Links, users can generate branded, secure links to collect payments without writing a line of code, making it perfect for both quick one-off transactions and remote sales. Invoices allow merchants to send professional, itemized payment requests via email, complete with automatic PDF generation and tracking for paid, unpaid, and due statuses. Behind the scenes, the Settlements dashboard gives users clarity over when and how their funds are being disbursed, with full visibility into transaction dates, fees, and payout statuses.
Bussines section
Bussines section
To give merchants greater control over how they manage and move money, we designed a wallet system that works like a financial hub. From the dashboard, users can easily view their wallet balance, top up by transferring funds to a dedicated virtual account number, or withdraw to third-party bank accounts. Every transaction is logged with rich details including before-and-after balances, references, and recipient info.
In addition, we introduced Sub Accounts—a feature that lets merchants split incoming payments into different accounts automatically. Whether the split is a fixed amount or a percentage of each transaction, merchants have the flexibility to configure it per subaccount. Creating a sub account is straightforward: just input the bank details, currency, and choose how the funds should be split.
To give merchants greater control over how they manage and move money, we designed a wallet system that works like a financial hub. From the dashboard, users can easily view their wallet balance, top up by transferring funds to a dedicated virtual account number, or withdraw to third-party bank accounts. Every transaction is logged with rich details including before-and-after balances, references, and recipient info.
In addition, we introduced Sub Accounts—a feature that lets merchants split incoming payments into different accounts automatically. Whether the split is a fixed amount or a percentage of each transaction, merchants have the flexibility to configure it per subaccount. Creating a sub account is straightforward: just input the bank details, currency, and choose how the funds should be split.
Customers
Customers
Impact & Results
Impact & Results
Expanded merchant reach to 10 African countries with local payment methods
Increased transaction volume by supporting multiple payment methods
75% increase in successful transaction completions for mobile money payments
60% reduction in merchant onboarding time
Expanded merchant reach to 10 African countries with local payment methods
Increased transaction volume by supporting multiple payment methods
75% increase in successful transaction completions for mobile money payments
60% reduction in merchant onboarding time
Key Learnings
Key Learnings
One major takeaway was that merchants place high value on transparency—having clear visibility into transaction details emerged as a top priority. On the user experience front, simplifying complex processes such as KYC by breaking them into smaller, more manageable steps led to higher completion rates. These learnings underscore the need for thoughtful design and ongoing user research when building scalable international payment systems.
One major takeaway was that merchants place high value on transparency—having clear visibility into transaction details emerged as a top priority. On the user experience front, simplifying complex processes such as KYC by breaking them into smaller, more manageable steps led to higher completion rates. These learnings underscore the need for thoughtful design and ongoing user research when building scalable international payment systems.