The picture is mixed, but trends are encouraging

The African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) developed the African Women’s Inclusion Index (AWII) to measure progress in employment, leadership, and financial inclusion across 42 countries. Between 2011 and 2022, African women’s financial and economic inclusion improved by about 17%.

The World Bank’s Global Findex shows wide disparities in bank account ownership – from 6% in South Sudan to over 90% in Mauritius – yet overall ownership continues to rise, and the gender gap is narrowing. Much of this shift stems from digital finance and mobile technology.

Technology is levelling the playing field

Financial inclusion has long depended on access to banks and credit, areas where women still face deep inequality. Across Africa, only a small fraction of total startup financing goes to women-led businesses, leaving a funding gap in the tens of billions of dollars. Closing the gender gap could boost the continent’s GDP by over $300 billion annually.

Tim Masela, Vice Chair of the African Association of Central Banks, told the World Bank that digital integration is key: “To bring the unbanked into the formal economy, we must link payment systems across borders and promote interoperability – especially for women and small enterprises.”

Mobile access, fintech, and e-commerce platforms now let women bypass traditional gatekeepers. They can promote, sell, and get paid online – through marketplaces like Amazon, Jumia, or social media shops such as Instagram and TikTok.

Digital entrepreneurship is reshaping opportunity

Trevor Kuna, Chief Marketing Officer of QNET, a global direct-selling wellness company with a strong presence across Africa and Asia, has observed these shifts first-hand. “Women across the world still face systemic barriers to starting and growing a business – from limited access to financing to societal expectations that keep them out of the formal workforce,” he explains.

According to Kuna, the internet is becoming an equalizer: “In many developing regions, women are using mobile technology and online platforms to create income opportunities that didn’t exist before. Whether in rural Africa or urban Asia, digital entrepreneurship provides a flexible, low-barrier path into business ownership.”

Direct-selling and other online models allow individuals to start small, invest gradually, and access mentorship that builds long-term resilience. For many women balancing family and community responsibilities, this flexibility is transformative – redefining what financial independence looks like.

Real stories of empowerment

In Ghana, Margaret Tuuli, a micro-entrepreneur and long-time QNET distributor, shares a similar journey of empowerment through digital connectivity. She joined QNET in 2009 while working in the public sector, seeking an additional income stream. “I wanted to do something extra and make some money,” she recalls. What began as a side business evolved into a sustainable livelihood supported by e-commerce tools and online mentorship.

“For many of us in Ghana, QNET’s business model has been empowering,” she says. “It helped me achieve a better work-life balance and the freedom to support my family.” Beyond financial gains, Tuuli highlights how digital entrepreneurship changed her confidence and agency: “Today, I have control over my time, my income, and my growth.” Her experience mirrors thousands of women using mobile technology to build small businesses from home – proof that digital inclusion is as much about opportunity as access.

The next frontier of financial inclusion

While digital platforms are not a silver bullet, they show what’s possible when technology meets opportunity. As women gain digital literacy, they’re using online tools to earn income, save, and reinvest in their communities.

Across Nigeria, Ghana, Indonesia, and the Philippines, women are among the fastest-growing adopters of fintech – from mobile payments to micro-business e-commerce. Inclusion, once a policy challenge, is becoming a practical reality driven by connectivity and creativity.

Sustaining this momentum will require affordable internet, simplified digital ID systems, and fair access to credit. Partnerships among governments, private enterprises, and NGOs can amplify the impact and scale successful models.

As connectivity deepens and mobile-first business models expand, women are not waiting for systems to change – they’re building new ones. The next frontier of financial inclusion will depend on how effectively technology companies, digital platforms, and policymakers support this quiet revolution.