Money on the Move: Payments and Money Transfer Behavior of African Households (Event Resources)

"Money on the Move: Payments and Transfer of Money Behavior of African Households" offers an in-depth look at the payment behavior of Sub-Saharan Africans, based on survey results from 11 African nations.

The presentation sheds light on the markets that would be most welcoming of new technologies and innovative partnerships. A special focus is put on the payment behavior of the poorest parts of the population and those living in rural areas. In short, there is evidence of surprisingly high levels of domestic payments and remittance behavior. Up to 76% of the population in Kenya and 53% of the adult population across the 11 countries had paid or had been paid by a counterparty in a different part of the country in the prior 30 days, while less than 5% reported any international remittance activity. Some common stereotypes hold up - senders are richer, more educated, and urban. However, there are also surprises - receivers are equally rich and poor, rural and urban. Most of this money is being moved in cash, either carried in person or by an intermediary of some kind, leaving lots of room for service providers to capture this market by providing better, more formal alternatives.