Most Nigerian e-commerce trust is built on pay-on-delivery (POD). For medicine, POD breaks down fast — and escrow is what fills the gap.
What POD actually protects
POD protects the buyer at the doorstep: cash for parcel. It does not protect against counterfeits inside that parcel, nor does it protect the vendor from cancelled orders, refused deliveries, or rider fraud.
Why medicine breaks POD
Medicine value is tied to authenticity, not just delivery. A sealed box of antimalarials can still be counterfeit. POD's 'open and inspect' moment doesn't catch fake API or expired stock.
What escrow adds
Escrow holds funds until both delivery AND verification are complete. The vendor is incentivised to send genuine, in-date stock. The buyer is incentivised to confirm honestly. Neither side carries the full risk alone.
MedOasis escrow flow
Buyer pays into MedOasis escrow → verified vendor dispatches → delivery is signed off in-app → funds release. Disputes pause the release window automatically.