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ENABLING MOBILE MONEY POLICIES IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
The legal framework for mobile money was approved by the BCC in December 2011, only 10 months after the CMTF was convened.
Within nine months of the new regulation being enacted, three providers (Barthi Airtel, Millicom-Tigo, and Vodacom) were granted
a licence and launched mobile money deployments, and a fourth provider (Orange) is preparing to launch. This rapid uptake by
operators is an exceptional achievement, and the high level of competition in the market is due (in no small part) to the fact that
Congolese regulators promoted an inclusive engagement process that brought all stakeholders and providers together. Governor
Mulongo has estimated that by 2014, mobile money will increase access to financial services for ordinary Congolese by 22%.
The leadership and pragmatism of the people that led this process, combined with the participation of all relevant stakeholders in the
CMTF since its creation, has been pivotal to its success.
The Mobile Money Data Dashboard (see Figure 4) shows that the outcome of this process is a very competitive market where, in less
than two years, three mobile money deployments have been able to register already 2.8 million customers with an activation rate of
13.3%. To have a point of reference, in Tanzania, which is today one of the biggest and fastest growing mobile money markets in the
7
first two years the registration rate was slightly higher but activation was significantly lower . Mobile money providers have built a
distribution network of 32,681 agents of which 8,140 are active, and in December 2013 have facilitated 1.2 million transaction worth
more than US$ 30.7 million.
FIGURE 3
TIMELINE OF MOBILE MONEY DEVELOPMENT
In March, the Governor
of the BCC establishes a
multi-stakeholder task
force to develop a new
regulatory framework
for mobile money
In December the
Governor of the BCC,
attends a GSMA/Citi
workshop in Nairobi. He In December the In February, Bharti Airtel
is granted an e-money
can see M-PESA in Governor of the BCC,
action and hear directly attends a GSMA/Citi licence and launches
Airtel Money
from Kenyan and workshop in Nairobi. He
Tanzanian regulators can see M-PESA in
about the eabling role action and hear directly
that central banks play from Kenyan and
Tanzanian regulators In March, Tigo-Millicom
about the eabling role is granted an e-money
that central banks play licence. In July it
The Strategic The BCC’s strategic plan launches Tigo Cash
Developent Plan of the for 2010-13 prioritises
Banque Centrale du the development of the
Congo (BCC) and of the mobile money industry In December, the new
National Finance System to make the financial regulatory framework In November, Vodacom,
sets an objective to system more ecient on electronic money is is granted an e-money
modernize the national and de-dollarise the approved (Directive #24 licence and launches
payment system economy of 2011) M-Pesa
2004 2010 2011 2012
7. See Simone di Castri and Lara Gidvani (2014), Enabling Mobile Money Policies in Tanzania: A “test and learn” approach to enabling market led digital inancial services”, GSMA case study, available at
http://www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/new-case-study-enabling-mobile-money-policies-in-tanzania).
7
The legal framework for mobile money was approved by the BCC in December 2011, only 10 months after the CMTF was convened.
Within nine months of the new regulation being enacted, three providers (Barthi Airtel, Millicom-Tigo, and Vodacom) were granted
a licence and launched mobile money deployments, and a fourth provider (Orange) is preparing to launch. This rapid uptake by
operators is an exceptional achievement, and the high level of competition in the market is due (in no small part) to the fact that
Congolese regulators promoted an inclusive engagement process that brought all stakeholders and providers together. Governor
Mulongo has estimated that by 2014, mobile money will increase access to financial services for ordinary Congolese by 22%.
The leadership and pragmatism of the people that led this process, combined with the participation of all relevant stakeholders in the
CMTF since its creation, has been pivotal to its success.
The Mobile Money Data Dashboard (see Figure 4) shows that the outcome of this process is a very competitive market where, in less
than two years, three mobile money deployments have been able to register already 2.8 million customers with an activation rate of
13.3%. To have a point of reference, in Tanzania, which is today one of the biggest and fastest growing mobile money markets in the
7
first two years the registration rate was slightly higher but activation was significantly lower . Mobile money providers have built a
distribution network of 32,681 agents of which 8,140 are active, and in December 2013 have facilitated 1.2 million transaction worth
more than US$ 30.7 million.
FIGURE 3
TIMELINE OF MOBILE MONEY DEVELOPMENT
In March, the Governor
of the BCC establishes a
multi-stakeholder task
force to develop a new
regulatory framework
for mobile money
In December the
Governor of the BCC,
attends a GSMA/Citi
workshop in Nairobi. He In December the In February, Bharti Airtel
is granted an e-money
can see M-PESA in Governor of the BCC,
action and hear directly attends a GSMA/Citi licence and launches
Airtel Money
from Kenyan and workshop in Nairobi. He
Tanzanian regulators can see M-PESA in
about the eabling role action and hear directly
that central banks play from Kenyan and
Tanzanian regulators In March, Tigo-Millicom
about the eabling role is granted an e-money
that central banks play licence. In July it
The Strategic The BCC’s strategic plan launches Tigo Cash
Developent Plan of the for 2010-13 prioritises
Banque Centrale du the development of the
Congo (BCC) and of the mobile money industry In December, the new
National Finance System to make the financial regulatory framework In November, Vodacom,
sets an objective to system more ecient on electronic money is is granted an e-money
modernize the national and de-dollarise the approved (Directive #24 licence and launches
payment system economy of 2011) M-Pesa
2004 2010 2011 2012
7. See Simone di Castri and Lara Gidvani (2014), Enabling Mobile Money Policies in Tanzania: A “test and learn” approach to enabling market led digital inancial services”, GSMA case study, available at
http://www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/new-case-study-enabling-mobile-money-policies-in-tanzania).
7
