The BSP Financial Group Limited (BSP) and a local commodity buyer have teamed up to make things easier for cocoa farmers when it comes to making payments for their cocoa beans, through the bank’s new Wantok Wallet product.
This was recently made possible when the commodity buyer- Elliven Limited in Lae city was recently commissioned as a BSP Payment Processor on Wednesday 21st May, establishing an innovative payment solution that would enable commodity buyers to transfer funds directly to growers’ and farm entry owners’ accounts- eliminating the need for cash payouts.
BSP Agency Banking Senior Manager Stanley Seimoni said this digital payment system offers a safer, faster, and more efficient alternative to traditional cash-based transactions.
“Since 7th May, Elliven Limited’s Lae buying point has processed a total of 562 transactions, valued at K2.4 million – payments made as a BSP Payment processor.
As part of our commitment to financial inclusion, our teams were at Elliven Limited’s Lae buying point this week, conducting awareness sessions on Wantok Wallet, actively assisting farmers open an account opening or activate a wallet.
Farmers who do not have accounts with us can have a Wantok Wallet activated by our team. All they need is a mobile phone to access their payments at any BSP ATMs or Cash Agent,” Mr. Seimoni added.
To date, BSP has deployed 7 Payment Processors across 28 buying sites, with a strong presence in the New Guinea Islands (NGI) region. This initiative is part of BSP’s ongoing efforts to expand financial access and inclusion—this time focusing on rural farmers—through practical, technology-driven solutions.
Elliven Limited Founder, Mr. Ron Neville described this initiative as a game changer and to expand the Payment Processing Solution to other buying points; Kerevat, Rabaul, Wewak, Maprik and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.
“Our customers here in Lae are smiling – the new payment system has changed everything. In the past they waited hours, even days to receive their payments. Today it takes just five minutes for payments to reach their accounts,” said Mr.