In Côte d’Ivoire, mobile money services have become an everyday staple, with over 400,000 service points—far exceeding the country’s total number of ATMs. Residents rely on these cabins for essential tasks like depositing salaries, withdrawing funds, and settling transactions. Yet, mobile money agents frequently face a critical hurdle: inconsistent cash availability, which disrupts their operations and frustrates users.

Take the bustling Angré Château district in Abidjan, for instance. As evening approaches, Rosette arrives to withdraw 10,000 West African francs—about 15 euros—only to find the nearby mobile money cabin out of cash. Frustrated but accustomed to the issue, she sighs and walks away, muttering, “Sometimes they don’t have what you need. It’s frustrating, but you make do.”

the daily grind of liquidity shortages

Inside a yellow cabin, Nema, the cashier, explains the recurring problem: “There are days when withdrawals spike, and we run out of cash. We apologize to customers and switch to deposit mode until we’re restocked.” This forces clients to seek alternatives, often traveling farther to find a cabin with funds.

Affoué, the cabin’s manager and a former accountant, highlights the financial toll: “Losing a customer means losing their commission. Without steady transactions, our profits shrink, making it harder to sustain the business.” The stakes are high, as commissions for agents range from 20 to 60 West African francs—3 to 9 euro cents—per 10,000 francs transaction. More transactions equate to higher earnings, but cash shortages reverse the equation, pushing agents to temporarily close their stalls to refill.

“When cash runs low, we lose customers and commissions. It’s no longer profitable, so we shut down to refill at banks or from operators,” Affoué adds.

innovative solutions to bridge the gap

To tackle this challenge, local startups like Leya have stepped in with a rapid-response service. Gertrude Yapi, Leya’s operations director, explains their approach: “We supply agents with credit in under four minutes and deliver cash within 30 minutes to meet demand. This boosts their revenue by up to 50%.” Leya serves over 3,000 active clients across Abidjan, Bondoukou, Bouaké, and Korhogo.

Economist Kassoum Timité underscores the broader economic impact: “Mobile money is a lifeline for Côte d’Ivoire’s informal sector, which contributes nearly 40% of the GDP. When liquidity dries up, transactions stall, and economic activity slows.”

In 2024 alone, mobile money transactions in Côte d’Ivoire surpassed 140 billion West African francs—over 210 million euros—per day, quadrupling the volume recorded in 2020. Despite this growth, the cash crunch remains a persistent bottleneck, threatening both agent livelihoods and the digital economy’s momentum.