The Côte d’Ivoire boasts over 400,000 mobile money service points—far surpassing the number of traditional ATMs. These hubs serve as daily financial lifelines for Ivoirians, enabling salary deposits, cash withdrawals, and seamless money transfers. Yet, agents managing these points face a recurring challenge: cash shortages that disrupt operations and frustrate users.
A late afternoon in Abidjan’s bustling Angré Château district reveals the frustration firsthand. As locals rush to withdraw cash for daily expenses or transport, a mobile money booth stands empty—out of liquidity. Rosette, a customer, sighs: «Sometimes you come only to find they don’t have what you need. It’s unpredictable, but we adapt.»
Inside the yellow booth, agent Nema patiently explains the situation to waiting clients: «There are days when withdrawals surge, leaving us short on cash. We apologize and switch to deposit mode until we’re restocked.» Some frustrated customers leave to try elsewhere. Affoué, the booth manager and a former accountant, knows the stakes: «Losing a customer means losing their commission. We must keep them satisfied to boost our earnings and net profits.»
clients and profits vanish without cash
Mobile money operators like Orange, Moov, MTN, and Wave compensate agents with commissions—typically 20 to 60 francs CFA (around 3 to 9 euro cents) per 10,000 francs CFA (15 euro) transaction. Higher transaction volumes and values directly translate to greater earnings. However, when cash runs dry, agents must temporarily close their booths to restock from operators or banks, leading to lost customers and lost revenue.
«They face declining clientele and insufficient commissions, making operations unprofitable. Many agents close their booths to withdraw cash from ATMs.» This cycle hits hardest in Abidjan, where demand is highest but logistical hurdles persist.
motorcycle cash delivery: a game-changer
Gertrude Yapi, operations director at Leya—a Côte d’Ivoire-based fintech startup—has pioneered a solution. Leya’s motorcycle cash courier service restocks mobile money agents within four minutes for credit replenishment and delivers physical cash within 30 minutes. The result? A reported 50% increase in turnover for serviced booths. With over 3,000 active clients across four cities—Abidjan, Bondoukou, Bouaké, and Korhogo—Leya is transforming the landscape.
Economist Kassoum Timité underscores the broader economic impact: «The mobile money sector empowers Côte d’Ivoire’s informal economy, which contributes up to 40% of the GDP. Cash shortages slow transactions, dampening overall economic activity.» In 2024 alone, mobile money transactions in the country exceeded 140 billion francs CFA (over 210 million euros) daily—nearly quadruple the 2020 volume.