Blocking Credit Card Theft through Biometric Authentication Systems

Affiliation: Department of Hardware & Software Engineering, South Eastern College of Computer and information Technology, Egbu, Owerri North, Nigeria

Article Type: Original Research Article

Publication: West African Journal of Industrial and Academic Research 27(4), pp. 36-39

Research Design: Descriptive and Policy-Oriented Research

Evidence Type: Primary Empirical Research

Keywords: E‑commerce security in Nigeria, Digital payment infrastructure, Cross‑border transaction barriers, Central Bank of Nigeria regulations, Nigerian Customs Service protocols, Credit card fraud epidemic, Cyber‑fraud escalation, Identity theft networks, Payment platform interoperability, KYC compliance challenges, Regulatory modernization gaps, Biometric authentication systems, Fingerprint biometrics.

Abstract: Nigeria’s e‑commerce ecosystem remains critically impaired by the absence of a secure, dependable, and globally interoperable payment infrastructure. Cross‑border procurement is still trapped in rigid Central Bank of Nigeria and Nigerian Customs Service protocols designed to curb capital flight, yet these measures have unintentionally suffocated digital openness, slowed market liberalization, and constrained Nigeria’s ability to compete in international commerce. The long‑standing epidemic of credit card theft—responsible for millions of dollars in losses annually continues to undermine trust, delay adoption, and destabilize the foundation required for modern electronic transactions. Although pioneering institutions such as Kuda Microfiance Bank, Zenith BanK and UBA bank have introduced credit card payment systems, the digital environment they operate in has become significantly more hostile. Nigeria now faces escalating cyber‑fraud attacks, increasingly sophisticated identity theft networks, fragmented payment platform interoperability, inconsistent KYC enforcement, and slow regulatory adaptation to emerging digital threats. These compounding vulnerabilities threaten not only consumer confidence but the structural viability of Nigeria’s digital economy. This paper advances an uncompromising solution: the deployment of next‑generation biometric authentication systems including vein pattern recognition, fingerprint biometrics, and vascular imaging to decisively neutralize credit card theft and establish a high‑assurance security layer across Nigeria’s financial infrastructure. The authors argue that without biometric integration, Nigeria’s e‑commerce sector will remain exposed, fragile, and unable to scale. With proper implementation, however, biometric authentication can transform the nation’s payment ecosystem, fortify transaction security, restore public trust, and accelerate the emergence of a resilient, fraud‑resistant, and globally competitive digital economy.

Suggested Citation: Osuagwu O. E., Kembe N., Ge T., Oliver O. Osuagwu. (2026). Blocking Credit Card Theft through Biometric Authentication Systems. West African Journal of Industrial and Academic Research. 27(4)36-39.