COVID-19 May Spur Mobile Money Growth in West Africa

Governments in Africa are encouraging digital payments to reduce person-to-person contact and slow the spread of COVID-19. In West Africa, experts say the pandemic could be an opportunity to include more people in the digital economy. But a new report says that only 56% of citizens across 99 developing countries have access to a phone, a bank account, and an identity document - the building blocks for the successful rollout of digital money transfers.

Penda Kande refills her mobile money account with an agent in Senegal's capital, Dakar on March 27, 2020.

Documents

InFocus

Follow AllAfrica

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.