Fintech and Commerce Session: Mobile Driven Commerce - The Engine of Africa's Digital Growth

Mobile‑driven commerce has become a central pillar of Africa’s digital economy, transforming how consumers, merchants, and businesses connect, trade, and grow. Building on the success of mobile money, mobile‑first platforms now underpin merchant payments, e‑commerce, lending, remittances,insurtech, and an expanding range of digital services that support both financial inclusion and economic formalisation.​

This session will explore how mobile commerce is accelerating the shift from cash to digital payments, empowering SMEs, enabling entrepreneurship, and unlocking new value chains across local and regional markets. As interoperability improves and regulatory frameworks mature, mobile commerce is increasingly enabling seamless domestic and cross‑border transactions, supporting regional integration and trade.​

The discussion will examine how mobile commerce is shaping the next phase of digital growth. Artificial Intelligence is enhancing customer engagement through conversational commerce, personalisation and smarter risk management, while APIs and platform‑based models are enabling faster innovation and collaboration. ​

Bringing together policymakers, mobile operators, fintechs, and technology partners, this session will highlight practical case studies and strategic insights from across Africa. It will explore how coordinated public‑private collaboration can strengthen trust, attract investment, and position mobile‑driven commerce as a long‑term engine of inclusive and sustainable digital growth across the continent.