Publications

Mobile Banking in Zambia: Who is it reaching?

Profiles Zambia's m-money users and considers whether these services have reached those most in need. Are Zambians using these services for more than just money transfers?

Also read the complete report: Mobile Communications in Zambia- Demand-Side Survey Analysis of Mobile Phone Use and Access

 

Research Brief: The Mobile Money Revolution in Ghana and Kenya

A great deal has been written about how in Africa mobile communications and the use of mobile money has seen tremendous growth in recent years. Here the AudienceScapes team seeks to answer the question, how exactly are Ghanains and Kenyans using their mobile money services?

Pakistan on the Cutting Edge of Mobile Technologies, Including Branchless Banking 

 Pakistan, like many other developing countries, has seen an explosion in its mobile communications market in recent years, with new mobile services such as branchless banking and social networks beginning to emerge.

Blogs

M-Pesa Helps Farmers Get Insurance Claims

An innovative insurance program is coaxing Kenya’s farmers to invest in quality seeds and fertilizer. Relying on the popular mobile money transfer service, Mpesa, it promises to process any claims due to crop loss quickly and safely.

Beyond the Bank: The Rise of Mobile Money in Ghana

As the number of mobile phone subscribers in Ghana increases, so does the market for mobile money services. The majority of Ghanaians lack any formal bank account. Kwami Ahiabenu II reports on how mobile money could change the shape of financial transactions in the country.

Do Aid Donors Have A Role in Mobile Money?

Mobile money is in fact a commercial product. So what role are development aid groups actually playing? Are they providing venture capital? Are they providing subsidies? Are they providing incentives for mobile operators to enter parts of the market- for example, remote rural areas-which they wouldn’t otherwise touch?

Optimism for Sierra Leone Mobile Market Blooms but Difficulties Remain

Sierra Leone’s first mobile network was established in 1994 by U.K.-based Mobitel Sierra Leone Limited, which offered a radio-based telephony network and a mobile paging system throughout the country. But only recently did mobile phone use truly take off-and to such an extent that the days of landlines in Sierra Leone now appear to be waning.