Over the past year, the growth of the mobile money industry has been unprecedented, reaching over one billion mobile money accounts around the world. Sub-Saharan Africa remains the enduring epicentre of mobile money, adding over 50 million new registered accounts in 2019 and expecting to surpass a total of half a billion by the end of the year.
The role of mobile money has never been more important than during the COVID-19 pandemic. Across Africa, low-income people are among the most heavily affected by the economic lockdown and social distancing measures imposed, since they are often reliant on cash.
In turn, this year’s Leadership Forum focused on how we can build a resilient future, with discussions on:
- The state of the mobile money industry in Africa
- Digitising cash transfers: Accelerating reach to those affected by crises;
- Turning crisis into opportunity: The transformative potential of technological innovation;
- Pathway to prosperity: Refreshing business models for a sustainable digital future;
- The Mobile Money Regulatory Index; and
- Crafting enabling emergency policy response measures.
The Mobile Money Leadership Forum is supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.