From calls to change - How mobile phones are shaping Africa's future
Connecting lives, driving progress.
Across Africa, mobile phones have become tools of communication and powerful drivers of socio-economic transformation. With the rapid expansion of mobile technology, people in both urban centers and remote villages have gained unprecedented access to information, financial services, education, and healthcare. Mobile phones are bridging gaps and empowering individuals in myriad ways resulting in a continent-wide digital revolution that is transforming livelihoods. In a region where infrastructure challenges have long hindered progress, mobile technology is paving a new pathway to opportunity, shaping the future for millions across Africa.
Out of the 2400 respondents in the round 9 Afrobarometer survey in Kenya, 92.17% said they own a phone. ITU 2023 release: As of 2023, 63% of Africans own a mobile phone, an 8% increase from 2020, when it was 55.3%.
Financial inclusion and mobile banking
The financial services landscape in Kenya has been greatly shaped by M-Pesa, a mobile-based money transfer service that started in Kenya back in 2007 by Vodafone and Safaricom. This service has had a transformative impact on Kenya's economy, financial inclusivity, and day-to-day transactions.
The 2021 FinAccess Survey done on 30,600 households indicates that access to formal financial services increased from 26% to 83% and this is largely attributed to mobile banking, further statistics from the survey show that while traditional banking trends showed a decline from 2016 - 2021 in most breakdown categories(age, gender, location), the trend was different for mobile banking which saw an increase over the same period. The 2024 report indicates that 52.6% of Kenyans use mobile money daily, more than doubling, from 23.6% in 2021.
Numerous small businesses have also been positively impacted by this service, such businesses can now conduct their transactions efficiently, and easily manage business finances right off their mobile phones resulting in profitability and convenience.
Evident in the map below, M-Pesa is slowly painting Africa green, according to Wikipedia, the service is now accessible in 9 African countries and this shows the potential to bring on board many into financial inclusivity and who knows to what extent this list will grow in the coming years.
Healthcare
Mobile phones have tremendously supported healthcare delivery through remote consultations, health information dissemination, and mobile applications that aid in disease tracking and management. This has improved health outcomes, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach areas. A good example is the momConnect program of the South African National Department of Health which supports maternal and child health using mobile technology. About 5 million mothers have enrolled into the program. Studies on the program indicate that momConnect increases breastfeeding by 17% amongst first-time moms, breastfeeding knowledge by 5% in young moms, and family planning use by 6% amongst moms with previous pregnancies - this is just a sneak peek into the impact of mobile technology in Africa.
Platforms such as Hello Doctor in South Africa and MTIBA in Kenya allow users to receive medical advice via calls and apps. In Tanzania, Doctors with Africa CUAMM launched a mHealth program to strengthen HIV/AIDS treatment services. The idea was to send discreet messages reaching thousands of Tanzanians in remotest places.
Agriculture
Mobile phones have become essential tools for African farmers, transforming agriculture from subsistence-level practices to more market-oriented and resilient systems. By empowering farmers with knowledge, resources, and connections, mobile technology is driving agricultural innovation and boosting livelihoods across the continent.
Farmers are now able to get real-time updates on market prices, helping them make informed decisions about when and where to sell their produce. Platforms like Esoko and iCow in Kenya connect farmers to buyers and markets. Other apps like Digital Green offer step-by-step tutorials and videos on farming techniques, improving productivity. The supply chain has been made a little more efficient - farmers can locate and purchase quality seeds, fertilizers, and tools. For example, Hello Tractor in Nigeria links farmers to affordable tractor services.
Gender and mobile access
According to GCMA(a non-profit organization that represents the interests of mobile network operators worldwide), in their 2024 Mobile gender gap report - the gender gap in mobile adoption for low and middle-income countries has dropped from 25% in 2017 to 15% in 2023, quite an improvement I'd say. Also, the gaps in mobile ownership and smartphone ownership have dropped from 15% to 13% and 10% to 8% respectively. An interesting finding from the survey was that in 10 of 12 Low and middle-income countries surveyed, women who use the internet are more likely than men to access it exclusively on a mobile phone. The Kenya preliminary report on SDG5 on Kenya National Bureau of Statistics 2015/2016 survey reported that 44.4% of Kenya's population own a mobile phone, of these 49.5% are women and 50.5% are men.
As per Afrobarometer's survey, out of the 92.17% who own a mobile phone, 47.33% were women and 44.83% were men.
Further, with mobile services such as M-Pesa, women have been empowered tremendously as they now have control over their finances, and the ability to save, invest, and manage household finances independently - this is progress!
The 2024 FinAccess survey data reveal a narrowing gender gap in mobile money, down to 1.8% from 5.2 % in 2021 - Interestingly the gender gap in banking and other financial sectors persists showing how mobiles have helped to narrow down the gender gap barrier in matters of finance.
Education
With the entry of mobile phones and the technological advancements in recent years, learning has never been the same. Learners have had easy access to digital learning platforms, e-books, and online courses, enabling students and teachers to overcome challenges like limited access to physical libraries and textbooks.
Consider initiatives like Zeraki and Eneza Education which are offering interactive learning materials for learners and developing systems to help in the management of school administrative tasks, tracking student performance, and managing student information. How lovely that learners, teachers, and parents can access all this information through mobile applications - this is progress!
Flashing back to the COVID-19 crisis, mobile phones played a crucial role in ensuring continuity in education through remote learning, especially for households that could not afford laptops for their learners.
Mobile phones hold immense potential to shape education and ultimately address unique challenges faced in Africa. However, there is a need to have supportive policies put in place to keep in check this potential.
While mobile phones offer immense benefits, they also present significant challenges. Issues such as the high cost of data, limited digital literacy, and concerns over data privacy and security hinder equitable access and usage. Additionally, the proliferation of mobile phones has led to risks such as cybercrime. Addressing these challenges requires targeted interventions, including affordable connectivity, education on digital skills, and robust regulatory frameworks to ensure that the benefits of mobile technology are inclusive and sustainable.
If we're to achieve the United Nations Sustainable development goals then we need technology and connectivity, especially under the education, health, and financial inclusion themes. From empowering smallholder farmers with market prices to enabling digital financial inclusion through mobile money platforms, their impact transcends traditional barriers of infrastructure and geography. As African nations continue to innovate and adapt mobile technologies to local contexts, the potential for growth, equity, and resilience becomes even more profound. By promoting inclusive policies and investing in mobile-driven solutions, African countries can harness the full power of this technology to drive sustainable development and uplift millions out of poverty.
References:
1. https://www.knbs.or.ke/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/2021-FinAccess-Survey-launch-presentation.pdf
2. https://data.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/documents/Publications/Kenya_Preliminary-Report_SDG5b1.pdf
3. https://www.gsma.com/r/gender-gap/?utm_source=website&utm_medium=cw-homepage&utm_campaign=gender-gap-2024
4. https://www.fsdkenya.org/
5. https://www.afrobarometer.org/
6. https://www.gsma.com/r/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/The-Mobile-Gender-Gap-Report-2024.pdf?utm_source=website&utm_medium=button&utm_campaign=gender-gap-2024
7. https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/smartphones-school-only-when-they-clearly-support-learning
8. https://www.health.gov.za/momconnect/
9. Report: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/63638a147ff81261a0319bc3/t/66b362b076a63e27d3aa50ff/1723032319748/MQR_Final+Report_19Apr2024+%5BSHARED%5D.pdf
10. https://doctorswithafrica.org/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/02/texting-for-change-good-m-health-practice-in-tanzania.pdf