Connecting people to financial services
Financial access enables day-to-day life, improves productivity, and coping with unexpected difficulties.
Financial inclusion is essential to reducing extreme poverty and delivering significant social benefits and economic opportunities.
Globally, 1.7 billion adults do not have a bank account, but among them, an estimated 1.1 billion have a mobile phone. Digital services are key to helping people access safe, secure financial services.
We aim to connect 75 million customers to mobile money and financial inclusion services by 31 March 2026
Our platforms for financial inclusion
M-Pesa
In 2007, in partnership with the UK’s Department for International Development, we launched a new innovative service for the unbanked in Kenya.
M-Pesa, M – for mobile, and Pesa – the Swahili word for cash was a novel concept that converts physical cash into e-money. By following simple instructions on their phones, customers can make payments securely using a simple handset and on 2G networks.
M-Pesa has grown to over 56 million customers supported by half a million M-Pesa agents across seven African countries.
It is Africa’s largest and most advanced fintech platform with over 33 billion transactions amounting to more than €351 million were made in the year using M-Pesa, the equivalent of around 4 million per hour on average through a network of more than 617,000 agents.
Vodafone Cash
In Egypt, Vodafone Cash is a comprehensive e-wallet and financial services platform catering to the needs of the unbanked—two-thirds of the Egyptian population.
VodaPay
In addition, some markets benefit from insurance offerings. In South Africa, through VodaPay, customers can access payment products and services, lending, and insurance.
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