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Mobile money: Savings are taking off, but credit is still lagging in Africa

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The proportion of African adults owning a mobile money account rose from 27% to 40% between 2021 and 2024, representing the highest rate globally. This is according to the World Bank's report The Global Findex Database 2025: Connectivity and Financial Inclusion in the Digital Economy published in July 2025

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The report reveals that 23% of African adults saved via their mobile accounts in 2024 (up from 13% in 2021), while 35% reported saving digitally or through traditional institutions. Countries like Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, and Uganda show mobile money usage rates for savings exceeding 50% among adults, indicating widespread adoption of the service.More accessible than traditional banking networks, mobile money facilitates saving in small amounts, flexible deposits and withdrawals through local agents, and more inclusive adoption, especially in rural and informal areas.Despite the success of mobile money for savings, access to credit via mobile money remains very modest. In 2024, only 7% of African adults borrowed via their mobile accounts, a figure stable compared to 2021, while nearly 59% had access to credit (mainly through informal means: family, tontines). In major mobile money economies 22 to 32% of adults borrowed via a mobile operator, but this credit remains of very small amount, short-term, and often associated with high interest rates, limiting the overall economic impact.Several factors justify this situation. According to the World Bank, regulation remains cautious, with authorities fearing over-indebtedness or fraud. The organization also criticizes business models that prioritize deposits and payments, which are less risky than credit. Furthermore, the report reveals that customers themselves are hesitant to take on debt via platforms that are not well-known for lending (mistrust, low financial literacy, and overly strict eligibility simulators).According to the World Bank, the full potential of mobile money in Africa will only be unleashed when it contributes as much to productive investment as it does to securing savings. This requires strengthening trust and clients' analytical capacity regarding digital credit offers, improving interoperability between services and institutions, and tailoring credit offerings to local economic realities while minimizing associated risks.By addressing these challenges, mobile money can play a more significant role in driving economic growth and development in Africa 


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christelle
JESSICA CHRISTELLE KOAMBI
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