Authentication technology methods for E-Commerce applications in Nigeria — a case for biometric digital security contactless palm vein authentication

E-Commerce has become one of the most interesting and beneficial Internet-enabled systems for humanity. E-Commerce has served as an economic enabler and driver for developed countries because of the total adoption by their citizens. However, in Nigeria citizens have rejected E-Commerce due to a lack of trust and inadequate security. This research identifies several factors that lead to distrust of E-Commerce systems in Nigeria. These factors: perceived fear, security, perceived risk, trust, usability, perceived advantage, and use of web assurance seal services are very important for intention to adopt E-Commerce as an online transaction technology. This thesis uses a novel Design Fiction and E-Commerce website simulation methodology to show citizens how new and improved security in E-Commerce could increase those citizens' trust and thus increase their intention to adopt E-Commerce. The research surveys a broad demographic sample of citizens from Nigeria who completed a set of tasks associated with the novel Design Fiction and E-Commerce website simulation followed by a detailed questionnaire. The questionnaire, with associated items, was designed to answer the research questions and hypothesis based on the E-Commerce Adoption Model proposed in the thesis. This new E-Commerce Adoption model is based on the Technology Acceptance Model and uses to comparatively test Digital Signature, Finger Print Identification, and Contactless Palm Vein Authentication technologies in E-Commerce transactions. Results from the survey show that Contactless Palm Vein Authentication leads to greater trust in E-Commerce in Nigeria. The thesis research findings also indicate that new improved security authentication techniques are overdue. The research indicates that poor E-Commerce adoption in Nigeria is mainly due to a key identified factor, which is security. The conceptual model and trust model are developed for E-Commerce adoption in Nigeria. Therefore, it shows that citizens are willing to accept Contactless Palm Vein Authentication as a solution. In particular, the research results also show that there are strong relationships between all the identified factors and citizens’ intention to adopt E-Commerce in Nigeria thus rejecting all null hypotheses.