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Indicators · Digital and financial inclusion

Mobile money account

Share of adults (15 and over) who personally used a mobile money service in the past year (World Bank Global Findex).

Why it matters

In much of the region mobile money, not banks, is how people pay, save and receive money. High use means rails already exist for fintech, pay-as-you-go solar and insurance to build on.

Read with care

Survey based and run every three years, so the latest point can be old. Not every country is surveyed in every round.

Source

World Bank Global Findex

% of adults. 42 African countries, 2014 to 2024.

Mobile money: highest in Zambia, lowest in Mauritius

Mobile money account, % of adults. Latest year available, 2024. 14 of 16 countries have data.

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Source: World Bank Global Findex· Get the data (Professional)·dotzedw Insights Centre

Ranked: mobile moneyiWhy it mattersIn much of the region mobile money, not banks, is how people pay, save and receive money. High use means rails already exist for fintech, pay-as-you-go solar and insurance to build on.

Click a country to highlight it.

0%20%40%60%Zambia69.3%Lesotho53.5%Tanzania52.9%Botswana51.6%Eswatini50.4%Namibia48.4%Malawi47.4%Mozambique45.7%Zimbabwe43.3%DRC35.1%South Africa31.6%Madagascar19.4%Comoros14.1%Mauritius10.1%median 46.6%
dotzedw Insights Centre
How spread out SADC is
Median 46.6%Lowest: Mauritius 10.1%Highest: Zambia 69.3%

Over time

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Mobile money account against income per person

Each bubble is a SADC country, sized by population. Dashed lines mark the SADC medians. Countries far from the pattern are worth a closer look.

0.0%10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%$1,000$3,000$10kGDP per person, US$ (log scale)Mobile moneyDRCTanzaniaSouth AfricaMozambiqueMadagascarZambiaZimbabweNamibia
Source: World Bank Global Findex, World Bank·dotzedw Insights Centre

Table

The same figures as the map, for screen readers and copying.
RankCountryValueYearFive-year changeGradeDetails
1Zambia69.3%2024up 41.5 points since 2017C
2Lesotho53.5%2024up 25.8 points since 2017C
3Tanzania52.9%2024up 14.3 points since 2017C
4Botswana51.6%2024up 27.2 points since 2017C
5Eswatini50.4%2024down 6.3 points since 2022C
6Namibia48.4%2024up 5.0 points since 2017C
7Malawi47.4%2024up 27.1 points since 2017C
8Mozambique45.7%2024up 23.9 points since 2017C
9Zimbabwe43.3%2024down 5.2 points since 2017C
10DRC35.1%2024up 19.0 points since 2017C
11South Africa31.6%2024up 12.6 points since 2017C
12Madagascar19.4%2024up 7.3 points since 2017C
13Comoros14.1%2024up 6.4 points since 2022C
14Mauritius10.1%2024up 4.5 points since 2017C
–AngolaNo recent data
–SeychellesNo recent data