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The short answer
Help your parent set up the assistant on their own phone and their own account, let them choose its gender, voice and name, and practise a few simple instructions together. Agree firm rules: never share a PIN or code, and always call back before sending money. With the Pryme Personal Assistant, nothing moves without the account holder's approval.
Why a voice assistant can help older parents
Many older Nigerians find banking apps fiddly: small text, many screens, menus that move with every update. Speaking is easier. A voice assistant lets a parent say "remind me to buy electricity on Friday" or "prepare ₦10,000 airtime for my line" (example) instead of tapping through menus. It can also reduce how often they need to ask children or neighbours for help, which is good for both independence and privacy.
For children abroad, it can also ease a common worry. Instead of sending money and then calling to talk a parent through paying the light bill, you can help them set up a routine once, and they can manage the everyday tasks themselves. Our guide to paying bills in Nigeria for family from abroad covers the wider picture.
The key is to set it up so that it stays their tool, under their control, and does not become a door for scammers or for well-meaning relatives to act on their behalf.
Ground rules before you start
- Their account, their phone. The Personal Assistant belongs to the Personal Account holder. Help them open their own account if they need one, rather than adding them to yours.
- Their choices. Let them pick the gender, voice and name. A voice they like and hear clearly is one they will use.
- Their PIN. Do not ask for it, write it on the phone or keep a copy. If they forget it, they should go through the provider's official recovery process.
- Their approval. Nothing moves without the account holder's approval. Do not approve things for them, even to save time.
Setting it up together
- Check the phone. Make sure the screen lock is on, the phone is updated and the text size is comfortable. Our guide to securing a phone before using a money assistant has a full list.
- Open the account if needed. Pryme Personal Accounts can be opened from any country, which helps if you are abroad and supporting from a distance. See open an account.
- Set up the assistant. Follow the prompts in the app. Let your parent listen to the voices and choose. Eva is the default name and is easy to say.
- Try three simple instructions. A reminder, a small airtime top-up, and checking what is due.
- Practise approving and declining. Show them how to read the amount and name, then approve. Then prepare something and decline it, so they see that declining is safe and costs nothing.
Choosing a voice for older ears
Hearing changes with age. Test each voice at normal volume and listen to how clearly it says numbers. Ask your parent to repeat back an amount like ₦15,000 versus ₦50,000 (examples). Choose the voice where they get it right every time. If they wear a hearing aid, test it with the aid in, the way they will actually use it. Our guide to choosing a name, voice and gender has more tips.
Scam-proofing: the family rules
Older people are frequent targets of impersonation scams, including callers claiming to be from a bank, a fintech or "the assistant". Agree a few rules and write them on a card they keep near the phone.
| Rule | Why |
|---|---|
| Never read out a PIN or a code to anyone | Codes are what scammers need to get into the account |
| The assistant never calls you | It lives in the app; any caller using its name is a scammer |
| Call back before sending money | A message "from your son" on a new number may not be from him |
| Never approve during a phone call | Scammers talk people through approving transfers |
| When in doubt, wait and call family | Real emergencies survive a ten-minute delay |
The NCC has named illegal SIM swaps among the most serious threats in telecoms, and these often begin with taking over someone's number to impersonate them. Make sure your parent knows to tell you if their phone suddenly loses network. Our guide to fake assistant calls and messages lists the common scripts.
Worked example: a mother in Owerri, a daughter in Manchester
Example only. Chioma lives in Manchester; her mother lives in Owerri. On a video call, Chioma walks her through setting up her assistant. Her mother chooses a female voice and calls it Nkechi, after nobody in the family. They practise: a reminder for the monthly church contribution, a ₦5,000 airtime top-up, and a pretend transfer to Chioma's brother that her mother declines. Chioma does not ask for the PIN and does not approve anything. A month later, her mother receives a call from "Nkechi from the bank" asking for a code. She hangs up and phones Chioma, who confirms it was a scam. Her mother's ₦120,000 (example) stays safe.
What made the difference was not technology but rehearsal. Her mother had already practised declining, already knew the assistant never calls, and had a card by the phone with the family rules. When the scam arrived, she knew what to do.
Where Pryme fits
Every Pryme Personal Account customer can set up a Personal Assistant, choosing its gender, voice and name, and speak to it to manage bills, saving, reminders and sending. It prepares; the account holder approves. Pryme Financial Ltd is a technology company; naira deposits are held by Solid Allianze Microfinance Bank Ltd, licensed by the CBN and insured by the NDIC up to the applicable limit.
Questions people ask
Can I set up a money assistant for my mother in Nigeria?
You can help her set it up on her own phone and account. She makes the choices, keeps her PIN private and approves her own payments.
Should I know my parent's banking PIN to help them?
No. Do not ask for it or keep a copy. Help them use the official recovery process if they forget it.
Is a voice assistant easier for elderly people?
Many find speaking easier than tapping through menus. Choose a voice they hear clearly, especially for numbers.
How do I protect my parents from bank scam calls?
Agree simple rules: never share codes, the assistant never calls, and always call family back before sending money.
Sources
- Nigerian Communications Commission: Measures to Protect Consumers against Financial Frauds · accessed Oct 2026
- Central Bank of Nigeria: Complaints Management · accessed Oct 2026
- Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation: Frequently Asked Questions · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.