Country: KenyaPriority: Medium (5.3/10)Response: PrepareTheme: Regulatory/Compliance TriggersYear: 2024

Strengthen Mobile Money Consumer Protection Against Service Downtime Losses

Nearly 1 in 10 (9.8%) mobile money users in Kenya reported losing money to service downtime, indicating a material consumer-protection and regulatory-oversight gap in the country's dominant financial access channel. The survey finds that 9.8% of mobile money users in Kenya reported losing money due to service downtime.

Mobile money users reporting downtime-related losses = 9.8%. Priority score 5.3 out of 10; response tier Prepare.

Situation

In Kenya, priority demand is recorded across National, within the domain of Extension, Advisory & Digital Tools, focusing on Digital financial services / mobile money. Primary beneficiaries include mobile money users in kenya.

Extracted Evidence

9.8% of mobile money users reported losing money due to service downtime (2024).

Intelligence

When an expressed demand in National is rated Medium with a priority score of 5.3/10 (Prepare tier), the limiting factor is scaling and investment reach. Sustaining action within current perimeters leaves the wider crisis unaddressed. Expanding coordinated response across Government & Public Policy, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) is the strategic imperative.

Demand Signal

This demand is classified as an Derived Demand, formally stated through Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), FSD Kenya. It carries signal type(s): Policy Demand. Demand strength is rated Medium. Priority score: 5.3 out of 10. Response tier: Prepare.

Demand Description

Nearly 1 in 10 (9.8%) mobile money users in Kenya reported losing money to service downtime, indicating a material consumer-protection and regulatory-oversight gap in the country's dominant financial access channel. The survey finds that 9.8% of mobile money users in Kenya reported losing money due to service downtime.

Demand Gap

Gap type: Access to Inputs, Finance & Credit Gap.

Nearly 1 in 10 (9.8%) mobile money users in Kenya reported losing money to service downtime, indicating a material consumer-protection and regulatory-oversight gap in the country's dominant financial access channel.

Gap Signal

9.8% of mobile money users reported losing money due to service downtime (2024).

Stakeholders and Target Group

Who expressedCentral Bank of Kenya (CBK), Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), FSD Kenya
Stakeholder groupsGovernment & Public Policy, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
Target groupMobile money users in Kenya
DomainExtension, Advisory & Digital Tools
Value chain / sectorDigital financial services / mobile money
Impact areasLivelihoods & Poverty Reduction

Source

Document
2024 FinAccess Household Survey (Assessment, 2024).
Organisation
Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), FSD Kenya
Citation
Central Bank of Kenya, KNBS, FSD Kenya. 2024. 2024 FinAccess Household Survey. Read the primary source

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