26 Jan 2016   

[Infographic] Mobile for Development in Sub-Saharan Africa

Some of the striking facts lie in this section of the AIDF Inforgraphic as Sub-Saharan Africa delivers the fastest growth in mobile usage rates globally.

The mobile penetration rate in the region was 39% competing with the global average of just under 50% (2014).

According to Frost & Sullivan’s predictions the mobile-payments market in the region could be worth $1.3 billion by 2019. By 2020 there will be 525 million smartphones in Africa, up from only 72 million at the end of 2013.

The country study of Kenya shows that 89% of citizens are familiar with mobile payments and 68% are making mobile P2P payments frequently. According to Deloitte/Cisco report for the GSM Association, a 10% increase in mobile penetration would have a 1.7% increase on GDP per capita.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has introduced digital cash in the Kakuma refugee camps in Kenya which are home to 180 000 mostly South Sudanese refugees. More than half of the households in the four Kakuma camps have mobile phones.

Responding to these issues requires innovative solutions and new effective approaches. If you have enjoyed reading this report and found it useful, please help us spread the word. Simply 'Pay with a tweet' by sharing this post.

NB: The Aid & International Development Forum has released an infographic that explores humanitarian aid and development in Sub-Saharan East Africa. The data has been broken down into four main areas of focus: food security, refugees, WASH and mobile for development. Each week one of the areas is revealed and published on our website. The infographic is a timely release for the upcoming Aid & Development Africa Summit (2-3 February 2016, United Nations Conference Centre, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia). During the two-day summit, international and regional experts will gather to discuss the latest technological innovations, initiatives and best practices providing an opportunity for knowledge exchange and networking amongst public, private and civil society stakeholders. For more information, please visit Africa.aidforum.org