For consumers around the globe, mobile phones have become ubiquitous—providing instant, real-time access to information, social networks, entertainment and connectivity. In Africa, the world’s second-largest mobile market behind Asia, that connectivity has super-charged the mobile money industry, with Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) now accounting for 43% of the world’s active mobile money accounts.
COVID-19の大流行時に加速したモバイル決済（m-payment）サービスの広範な導入により、アフリカの多くの人々は、従来の銀行システムから切り離され、通貨の切り下げに対する保護を提供する暗号通貨を、自然な次のステップとして注目している。実際、アフリカのいくつかの国では今年、「暗号」という言葉にまつわる社会的な話題が高まっており、注目度の高いさまざまなデジタル通貨や決済プラットフォーム、ブロックチェーンアプリケーションの導入に後押しされている。
SSA has been at the forefront of the mobile money industry for over a decade, largely because a growing network of fintech companies have stepped in to provide digital payment options to consumers who lack access to a formal savings account or credit. According to the Fintech Times, approximately 57% of the country’s population do not have a traditional bank account. Comparatively, the ウォール・ストリート・ジャーナル reported late last year that SSA alone is now home to nearly half of the world’s 1.04 billion registered mobile money accounts.
アフリカではモバイル・バンキング・サービスの普及率が高く、アフリカ大陸の人口が世界で最も若いことも相まって、暗号通貨への関心と認知度が高まっている。また、世界で最も若い消費者であることを考えると、デジタル決済と暗号通貨は、従来の銀行サービスよりもはるかに大きな魅力を持っている。これらのモバイル・ファーストの消費者にとって、デジタル・ペイメントと暗号通貨は経済的な独立性と自由をもたらすものであり、彼らはニールセンについて 暗号通貨の将来性を楽観視している。このことは、電気通信や金融サービスの分野にわたるプロバイダー、プラットフォーム、サービスにとって注目すべき機会をもたらす。
Adoption of crypto currencies, particularly across emerging economies, has skyrocketed this year, with blockchain data company Chainalysis reporting global adoption growth of more than 2300% between Q3 2019 and Q2 2021. Africa represents the world’s smallest crypto economy (2% of global value), but the prominence of this form of money is accelerating adoption. In fact, Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, recently became the first nation on the continent to roll out its own digital currency: the eNaira.
But buzz about crypto started well before the introduction of the eNaira. Many consumers across the continent began learning about digital currencies when Senegalese-American singer and entrepreneur Akon announced plans in 2018 to build a blockchain and crypto currency-powered city in Senegal. Consequently, Akon’s “Akoin” currency that he wants to power Akon City, his planned sustainable smart city in Senegal, is among the most popular crypto topics that Nielsen has been tracking across the media landscape.
Despite the buzz about Akon and Akoin, however, Bitcoin is the most discussed crypto currency in Africa, accounting for 63% of conversations about digital currencies, followed by Ethereum (10%) and Doge (7.5%). More importantly, overall consumer sentiment about digital currencies is neutral to positive. While growing and lucrative—even sanctioned by governments—the crypto landscape is fertile for scams, with many attaching themselves to aspects of pop culture, including the recent Squid Game cryptocurrency.
As technology advances infrastructures and sustainable development, fintech will grow to play a particularly important role for emerging economies. Strategy&, PwC’s consulting business, expects cashless transaction volume in Africa to increase 78% through 2025 and then 64% between 2025 and 2030.
これからのビジネスチャンスにおいて、企業は消費者と有意義な関係を築き、維持する必要がある。どのようなマーケティング活動でもそうであるように、ブランドは消費者にその価値を証明し、消費者の忠誠心を維持し、すべての活動の中心に消費者を据えておく必要がある。
