Connected Women: Mapping the Mobile Money Gender Gap: Insights from Côte d’Ivoire and Mali

Now available in two-thirds of low- and middle-income countries, mobile money has shown its potential as a powerful catalyst for financial inclusion, bringing financial services to the underserved for the first time. However, a gender gap persists, with fewer women than men accessing and using mobile money services. Data from the Global Findex 2014 shows that women are 36% less likely to use mobile money than men, and this gender gap is wider in certain regions and countries.

To better understand the mobile money gender gap, the researchers analyzed demand- and supply-side data from two countries: Mali and Côte d’Ivoire. They examined transactional data with a gender lens to understand how customers use mobile money, and where female customers drop off on the customer journey—from registration to active use—compared to their male counterparts. They then conducted follow-up research in these markets to understand why women stop using mobile money, which allowed them to identify potential opportunities to reduce the gender gap.