GSMA Mobile for Development

12:45 – 13:30 I Accelerating digital and financial inclusion for women in Africa

Join us at this session to find out the latest data on the gender gap in mobile internet and mobile money in Sub-Saharan Africa. You’ll also hear from stakeholders working to accelerate digital and financial inclusion for women. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the mobile internet gender gap remains substantial, with women 32% less likely than men to use mobile internet. Women are also 17% less likely than men to use mobile money. This session will bring together stakeholders to discuss the urgent need to change our collective approaches to drive women’s digital and financial inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa, sharing examples of actions being taken and ideas for potential solutions.

15:00 – 15:45 I Making AI work in Africa: Use cases delivering impact

AI has the potential to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, especially in Africa where innovative approaches to inclusive and sustainable development are most needed. AI could increase the region’s economy by $2.9 trillion by 2030, with significant development impacts. Join us in this interactive session to find out about the opportunity for AI innovation, and to hear from innovators and ecosystem builders on how to implement and scale AI use cases on the continent. The discussion will bring out the key priorities for African nations working towards building thriving AI ecosystems to develop sustainable solutions for African challenges.

16:30 – 17:30 I  Empowering humanity: Mobile solutions for inclusive digital humanitarian action

Disasters and conflicts are on the rise, impacting millions of people worldwide. However, the effects of these crises disproportionately affect various vulnerable groups.

Mobile-enabled solutions have the potential to reach everyone affected by humanitarian crisis and respond to their specific needs, so that no-one is left behind.

During this panel, we will explore inclusive humanitarian action, such as providing disaster early warnings, supporting access to affordable and accessible devices, and establishing connectivity at the last mile.

11:45 – 13:00 I A vision for shaping the future of African AgriTech

Agriculture remains the backbone of most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This session will focus on how to shape the future of agritech in Africa with AI and climate resilience at the forefront of the discussion.  The need to support smallholder farmers in overcoming challenges in maximising their agricultural productivity, earning potential and food security remains urgent with farmers increasingly vulnerable to a changing climate.

14:15 – 15:30 I Catalysing the circular economy through digital innovation

By 2050, Africa's waste is expected to triple, with significant impacts on people, ecosystems, and climate. Despite an increased focus on the circular economy, only 22% of e-waste is recycled properly and food waste contributes 6- 10% of global emissions. This session will present insights from GSMA's report ‘Making Circularity Work’, discussing key waste streams and the digital opportunities in waste management. We will also explore sector trends, decarbonisation, sustainable economic models via digital technology and offer circularity recommendations.

16:15 – 17:30 I Carbon credits: Navigating the promises and pitfalls

The voluntary carbon market (VCM) holds promise for delivering climate financing to projects that enhance vulnerable communities’ resilience to climate change. However, it has faced scrutiny due to challenges with transparency, and can be complex for small enterprises to navigate. Digital technology can democratise the VCM by reducing complexity, increasing speed, capturing micro-payments, and providing real-time monitoring. This session will explore the opportunities and barriers for digital technology in creating transparent and accessible carbon credits, while showcasing successful business models, and discussing the next generation of digitally enabled VCM.

11:45 – 13:00 I SOTIR 2024: Insights beyond the numbers

The State of the Industry Report on Mobile Money is the industry’s key source for exclusive supply-side data and insights. This session will dive into regional data focusing on Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia-Pacific and West Africa, in particular focusing on West Africa's emergence as the current engine of mobile money growth across the continent. Featuring a panel of industry leaders, join us to explore the key factors driving industry trends over the past year.

14:15 – 15:30 I Mastering Regulatory Strategies for Inclusive, Sustainable, and Secure Market Success 

This session brings together key industry stakeholders, including regulators, policymakers, mobile money providers, and fintech players, to discuss the impact of the mobile money regulatory index on policy and regulation development. It will explore the success factors and barriers for mobile money, provide insights into its future trajectory, and cover the evolution of digital financial services partnerships and the regulatory landscape. The session will also feature the launch of the revamped mobile money regulatory index.

16:15 – 17:30 I  Financial education for all: Driving a sustainable digital finance ecosystem

Despite the potential of digital financial services to advance financial inclusion, low digital and financial literacy remains a key barrier. Improving digital financial literacy can help marginalised and low-income individuals achieve financial health, driving self-sufficiency and resilience to shocks.

This session will highlight the importance of financial education, and the critical role of mobile money providers. Showcasing learnings from the collaboration with Visa, speakers will discuss factors influencing digital financial literacy and how to improve individuals financial knowledge and skills to ensure the can meet financial obligations and participate in modern society.