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RoleProduct Designer (UI/UX)
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Client9mobile
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PlatformsiOS & Android
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ToolsFigma, Miro
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Timeline6 weeks
Overview
When I joined the iG9ite project at 9mobile, the core app was already live and serving customers across Nigeria. My mandate was clear but complex: design and integrate a secure, intuitive wallet experience, Sim2Bank, that would allow users to move seamlessly from a SIM-based identity to real financial transactions.
This case study tells the story of how Sim2Bank was shaped from a fragmented concept into a coherent, scalable wallet experience, balancing regulatory requirements, technical constraints, and real user behaviour.
The Challenge
Despite strong adoption of the iG9ite app, users still faced friction when attempting to perform financial actions. Existing flows relied heavily on traditional bank account details, which many users found difficult to remember, slow to complete, or intimidating.
The challenge was not just adding a wallet feature, it was designing trust, clarity, and simplicity into a regulated financial experience, while ensuring the solution worked across multiple user tiers and transaction types.
Key problems to solve:
- Reduce cognitive load around account numbers and banking jargon
- Support KYC-driven wallet tiers without overwhelming users
- Enable fast, secure transactions using a phone-number-first model
- Ensure scalability for future financial services
Design Goals
The Sim2Bank experience was guided by four principles:
- Phone number as identity, banking should feel as easy as sending a text
- Progressive disclosure, unlock features as trust and verification increase
- Clarity over cleverness, especially for financial actions
- Regulatory compliance without friction
Design Approach
I followed a human-centred, iterative design approach, grounded in real usage patterns rather than assumptions.
Rather than treating “design thinking” as a checklist, I used it as a decision-making framework:
Fig: Design Process
Research & Insights
Through usability reviews of the live app, stakeholder interviews, and behavioural analysis, a few insights became clear:
- Users trusted mobile networks more than banks for everyday transactions
- Account numbers were a major source of friction and error
- Users were open to upgrading wallets, but only when benefits were clear
- Visibility of transaction status directly influenced trust
These insights informed both the information architecture and the interaction design of the wallet.
Defining the Problem
Problem Statement
Users in emerging markets struggle with mobile payments because existing systems rely on complex banking details and unclear flows. They need a secure, intuitive, mobile-first way to send, receive, and manage money using something they already trust, their mobile number.
User Personas
Rather than designing for a single “average user”, I anchored decisions around three core personas, each representing distinct needs, behaviours, and expectations observed during discovery.
Everyday Mobile User, wants fast, simple transactions with minimal setup
Growing Digital Adopter, comfortable with apps, willing to upgrade for limits
Power User / Business-lite User, values reliability, records, and repeat payments
Each flow was tested against these personas to ensure it scaled from basic to advanced use cases.
Information Architecture
Introducing wallet functionality into iGnite required more than adding new screens, it meant re-architecting how users understood money inside the app. Because Sim2Bank sits at the intersection of telecom and finance, clarity and predictability were non-negotiable. Any uncertainty in structure would immediately translate into hesitation or mistrust.
My approach to information architecture focused on intent-driven organisation rather than feature-driven grouping.
Instead of asking
What can the system do?”, I structured the experience around “What is the user trying to achieve right now?
Predictable Navigation, Minimal Cognitive Load
Navigation followed familiar mobile banking patterns to reduce learning friction:
- A stable top app bar for orientation
- A bottom navigation for high-frequency actions
- Clear, single-purpose screens with one primary action per step
Transaction history and receipts were intentionally designed as reassurance tools, not just records allowing users to retrace actions and validate outcomes at any point.
Ideation & Prototyping
Early ideation focused on sketching lightweight flows that mirrored how users already interacted with airtime and data purchases. Paper sketches and low-fidelity wireframes helped validate:
- Phone-number-led onboarding
- Step-by-step KYC progression
- Clear transaction confirmation states
Low-Fidelity Prototypes
I mapped:
- Wallet creation and verification flows
- Tiered wallet upgrades
- Send money, fund wallet, and bill payment journeys
At this stage, speed mattered more than polish, the goal was to validate flow logic before visual refinement.
Wallet Creation
Add Funds to Walletn
Send Money from Wallet
Transaction History
Wallet Dashboard
User Testing & Iteration
Prototypes were tested with users across different digital confidence levels.
What Worked
- Mobile number-based flows felt familiar and intuitive
- WOTP verification increased perceived security
- Clear success states reduced anxiety
Friction Identified
- Uncertainty during multi-step wallet creation
- Hesitation around verification stages
- Desire for clearer progress indicators
Iterations Made
- Added step indicators and clearer CTAs
- Reduced unnecessary screens
- Strengthened visual hierarchy around confirmation moments
- Introduced stronger cues for security actions
High-Fidelity Design & Delivery
Wallet Creation & Activation
The wallet onboarding flow was designed to feel:
- Structured, not overwhelming
- Transparent about why information was needed
- Progressive, with clear success states
Tiered wallet limits were communicated visually, helping users understand what they could do now and what unlocking higher tiers enabled.
Sending Money
Sending money was reduced to:
- Enter recipient
- Enter amount
- Confirm with OTP
Each step provided immediate visual feedback, ensuring users never felt unsure about the outcome.
Transactions & History
Transaction history was presented in a card-based layout, making it easy to:
- Scan past activity
- Verify completed payments
- Reuse frequent actions through favourites and recurring payments
Transactions & History
Upgrade to Tier 2
Upgrade to Tier 2
Upgrade to Tier 3
Upgrade to Tier 3
Accessibility & Trust by Design
Design choices deliberately supported accessibility:
- Large, readable typography
- High-contrast colour usage
- Clear error and success messaging
Color Palette: I used 9mobile’s brand colors (green, white, and black) to maintain brand consistency and establish trust.
Typography: Legible, clean fonts were selected for readability, especially for users who might not be very tech-savvy.
Icons & Visual Cues: Security icons (e.g., lock symbol) and progress indicators were added to reinforce the sense of security and provide visual confirmation of each step.
Call-to-Action Buttons: Prominent buttons like “Next,” “Continue,” and “Confirm” were used to ensure users clearly understood what action to take on each screen.
Implementation & Launch
I worked closely with developers to ensure:
- Designs translated accurately into production
- Animations and transitions reinforced clarity
- API behaviour aligned with user expectations
The feature was soft-launched, allowing early feedback to inform refinements before wider rollout.
Measuring Success
Post-launch, success was tracked through:
- Wallet creation and adoption rates
- Frequency of peer-to-peer transfers
- Transaction failure patterns
Reflection
This project reinforced a core belief in my design approach:
Good financial design isn’t about adding features, it’s about removing fear.
By grounding decisions in real behaviour, respecting users’ trust boundaries, and designing flows that felt calm rather than clever, Sim2Bank became more than a wallet feature, it became a reliable daily tool.
