Empowering Women in Africa through Digital Payments

Patty Zakaria
September 22, 2025

Disclaimer: This policy brief has been reviewed by the Future of Digital Finance conference organizers but has not been through CIGI’s formal editing process.

Women in Sub-Saharan Africa remain disproportionately concentrated in the informal economy, where financial exclusion is reinforced by barriers such as limited property rights, lack of identification, and entrenched cultural norms. Mobile money platforms have emerged as the leading pathway to women’s financial inclusion, driving significant gains in account ownership and enabling savings, credit access, and business growth. Despite progress, barriers in digital literacy, rural infrastructure, regulatory requirements, and restrictive gender norms limit the transformative potential of mobile banking. Policy action is needed to expand infrastructure, strengthen women’s digital and financial literacy, reform identification frameworks, engage communities, and design products tailored to women’s needs.