MOBILE money – the use of a mobile phone to transfer funds – is one of the most disruptive factors to hit traditional financial systems in recent years. It enables increased financial inclusion, and has spurred some creative innovation. The Wari Group was founded a decade ago in Senegal with the goal of organising Africa’s abundant resources into one accessible, scalable, multidirectional market. Through strategic alliances with prominent partners, the Wari network now spans 60 countries and boasts more than 500,000 service points around the globe. Wari customers use the platform to connect to financial and commercial services, ranging from domestic payments and international money transfers to airtime top-ups and transport services. The Wari platform allows for seamless trade in 38 currencies, using cash cards, digital wallets and cryptocurrencies. For its role as a growth accelerator in Africa, and a facilitator of financial transactions worldwide, the BV judging panel presents Wari Group with the 2018 award for Most Innovative Digital Finance Solutions (Africa).
