Digital access : the future of financial inclusion in Africa

At the time, only about a quarter of adult Africans enjoyed the benefits of access to the financial tools required to be able to grow small-scale businesses, plan for future household expenses, make investments in schooling and health, and cope with emergencies. As the program approaches its close in 2018, the situation has improved beyond expectations: 43 percent of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa are now financially included, and in countries such as Kenya, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the financial inclusion rate has more than doubled over the past six years. In hindsight, it is easy to see that the program was launched at the right time, in the right place. Sub-Saharan Africa has led the evolution of digital financial services in emerging markets, and continues to do so.