Economy/ Africa solidifies global leadership in mobile money
The numbers are staggering. In 2025, mobile money accounts in Africa processed $1.432 trillion in transactions; a 27% increase from the previous year. A GSMA report released Tuesday, March 24, confirms what many had anticipated: the continent has become the world’s laboratory for money by phone.
Africa accounted for 74% of global mobile money transactions last year. Of the 125 billion transactions recorded worldwide, 92 billion took place in Africa.
When it comes to mobile money, the epicenter is here. The rest of the world watches and learns.
Accounts are also surging. By the end of 2025, Africa counted 1.2 billion mobile money accounts 52% of the global total a year‑on‑year rise of 18%.
Behind the percentages lie concrete stories: a merchant who collects payments without a cash register, a farmer receiving proceeds from his harvest, a family sending money to their village without stepping into a bank.
Why does mobile money thrive in Africa more than elsewhere? Because it filled a void. Banks were absent, branches were scarce, accounts were costly. The phone bridged the gap.
Today, millions of Africans who never had a bank account now manage their money at their fingertips.
The telecom operators who drove this revolution continue to innovate. Mobile money is no longer just for sending funds; users pay bills, borrow, and save. Africa, so often a technology laggard, has leapt ahead.
