Table 1

Humanitarian crises and the role of digital financial inclusion

CountryHumanitarian crisesThe role of digital financial inclusion
Angola7.3 million people require humanitarian aid due to poverty, displacement, and limited access to servicesMobile banking and digital cash transfers can deliver aid directly to affected populations, reducing corruption and ensuring faster relief delivery. Digital wallets can also support microloans and savings, enhancing household resilience
Burkina Faso8.8 million people live in poverty, worsened by insecurity and displacementDigital payment systems (e.g. mobile money) can facilitate remote humanitarian payments and empower small-scale entrepreneurs to access microcredit and insurance, improving livelihood recovery
Burundi5.6 million children suffer from chronic malnutrition due to poverty and food insecurityDigital platforms can support targeted nutrition assistance programmes through e-vouchers and enable farmers to access mobile-based financial services and agricultural insurance, improving food production and child nutrition
CameroonOne in six people needs humanitarian support due to conflict and displacementDigital financial inclusion enables transparent humanitarian cash transfers via mobile money, supports displaced persons with access to savings and remittances, and promotes women’s financial independence in conflict areas
Central African Republic (CAR)Has the world’s sixth-highest child mortality rate and ongoing instabilityDigital health financing tools and mobile payments can fund maternal and child healthcare programmes and facilitate efficient donor fund tracking for humanitarian interventions
MauritaniaOne in four people faces poverty and food insecurityMobile financial services can help distribute food subsidies, social protection payments and remittances securely, reducing barriers to accessing essential resources in remote regions
Senegal1.4 million people are food-insecure, with high poverty levels in rural areasDigital microfinance and mobile payment platforms can improve access to agricultural credit, market linkages and insurance, strengthening food security and rural development
UgandaMaternal mortality rate is high (284 per 100,000 live births); widespread poverty persistsDigital financial services can fund maternal health programmes via mobile health (mHealth) payments, support women-led enterprises and facilitate government cash transfer programmes for vulnerable groups
Zambia1.35 million people lack sufficient food, especially in rural areasMobile-based agricultural financing enables farmers to access loans, buy inputs digitally and receive weather insurance. Cash transfers through mobile money improve food access and household resilience
ZimbabweNearly 8 million people live in extreme poverty, with economic instability and high inflationDigital currencies and mobile wallets (e.g. EcoCash) help citizens transact safely amid currency volatility, facilitate remittances and support humanitarian organisations in direct digital aid delivery
Source(s): Authors’ compilation

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