Sub-Saharan Africa is a region in full economic development, but the bankarization of its population is still very low. In countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), financial exclusion is a serious problem. However, players in the banking sector, such as BGFIBank DRC, strive to convince people of the importance of their activity and its impact on the country’s development.
Despite the presence of eleven banks in the DRC, including institutions such as Crédit du Congo, Ecobank and BGFI, the banking rate remains very low, with only 13% of the population having access to banking services. This means that 87% of the Congolese population does not use banking services, although they have money. It is therefore essential for banks to find innovative ways to develop their physical network and facilitate access to banking services.
To compensate for the lack of banking infrastructure, some banks are inspired by the practices in force in other countries, such as Senegal, where Société Générale employs agents traveling on motorcycles, or Burkina Faso, where Coris Bank sends a mobile branch on board a truck. In addition, Congolese banks are increasingly using information and communication technologies, as well as mobile telephony, to offer remote banking services. Most major Congolese banks now offer mobile apps that allow customers to manage their account and perform basic transactions. Some banks, such as BGFIBank RDC, even offer the possibility of opening an account entirely online.
However, physical access and digital tools are not enough to convince the Congolese population of the importance of banking services. Banks must also show their usefulness and the advantages they can offer. They are therefore developing mixed tools aimed at facilitating the access of workers in the informal sector to banking services. For example, Société Générale in Senegal has set up a network of banking intermediaries, called “Manko”, which allows entrepreneurs in the informal sector to have access to financial tools adapted to their needs. BGFI Bank RDC has developed the salary card, which offers employees a secure way to access their salary, whether via a debit card for banked employees or a prepaid card for unbanked employees.
These initiatives aim to gradually integrate the informal sector into the formal banking system, offering individuals in the informal sector the advantages of banking. However, there is still work to be done to convince the Congolese population of the importance and benefits of banking services.. Banks must continue to innovate and adapt to the needs and realities of the country to promote greater financial inclusion and accelerate the economic development of the DRC.
In conclusion, banking in sub-Saharan Africa, and more specifically in the DRC, remains a major challenge for economic development. Banks need to invest in innovative physical and digital infrastructure to facilitate access to banking services. In addition, they must convince the population of the importance of banking and the advantages it can offer