NO fewer than 200,000 Nigerians use online dating platforms monthly to find life partners despite security concerns ranging from identity fraud, catfishing and predisposition to scammers.
Co-founder of Tramatch International Limited, Elijah Bassey-Kokoette, made this known to journalists at a webinar, themed ‘Love, Relationship, Technology.’
He revealed that online dating was fast gaining momentum across the globe and in Nigeria as more individuals were seeking relationship partners online based on specific search criteria.
He also said technology was key to tacking online dating scams and reducing individuals’ exposure to scammers, identity theft and impersonation, among other ills associated with online dating.
“In Nigeria, over 60,000 active users engage with online dating platforms weekly. Tramatch itself has a growing registration of about 200,000 users seeking connections.
“The global dating market is projected to grow from $11.32 billion in 2025 to $21.71 billion by 2034, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.50 per cent, and the online dating market in Nigeria is worth about $1.3 million,” he revealed.
According to him, Tramatch, as a faith-based matchmaking platform that focuses on serious, long-term relationships, is enhancing user safety on its online dating platform by introducing advanced Know Your Customer (KYC) verification and AI-driven fraud detection measures.
Bassey-Kokoette observed that dating scams had hindered the online dating experience of many, saying Tramatch was evolving strategies to respond to an increase in scams by ensuring its platform mandated every user to upload a profile picture and complete a test to verify their identity, among other safety messages.
He adds: “We are standing out from our competition by ensuring that uploaded images match the real identity of the user.
“Tramatch is committed to detecting and blocking scammers using fake foreign identities, men impersonating women to deceive users, and imposters using stolen pictures and fake information.”
The company also revealed it was working on a new matchmaking feature that could predict the likelihood of divorce amongst partners.
