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Cash is fading in West Africa as fintech rewrites the rules of money

Contactless payment system. Photo by SumUp @ Unsplash
Contactless payment system. Photo by SumUp @ Unsplash
  • Mobile money reshapes payments across West Africa
  • Fintech disrupts banks and accelerates cashless adoption

 

ABIDJAN, IVORY COASTWest Africa is edging towards a cashless future, not through policy design but through a fintech-led shift transforming how money is stored, moved, and spent.

A few years ago, the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), which serves the eight countries sharing the CFA franc, laid out an ambitious vision: to reduce reliance on physical cash and push the region towards a cashless economy.

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