In its "Annual Report on the Situation of Digital Financial Services in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) during the year 2017", the Central Bank of West African States (Bceao) gives details on electronic money accounts in the Community area

According to the report, Côte d'Ivoire concentrates a large part of the activity of digital services. "The analysis of the available data reveals that Côte d'Ivoire concentrates a significant share of the activity of digital financial services in the Union. It totals 37.9% of electronic money accounts, or 19.15 million, up 49.0% compared to 2016, "informs the Bceao.

It is followed by Burkina Faso (13.8%), Mali (13.5%) and Benin (13.0%). "Benin records a strong expansion of digital financial services activities, reflected by the growing number of users which stands at 6.57 million in 2017, against 4.35 million in 2016", specifies the institution. This evolution is also observed in Senegal (5.38 million against 4.40 million), Togo (2.98 million against 1.44 million) and Guinea-Bissau (375,833 subscribers in 2017 against 246,551 in 2016).

The evolution of the subscription of electronic money accounts, details the report, remained limited to Mali and Niger. "Indeed, a slight decline in the number of subscribers was noted in Mali (6.83 million, or -0.56%), in particular in connection with the socio-political context observed in this country. Niger recorded a slight increase of 2.8% (2.22 million against 2.16 million in 2016). The use of mobile telephony by the financial sector has contributed significantly to the increase in the overall rate of use of financial services, which stood at 55.02% in 2017, for a strict banking rate2 of 16.99% and expanded by 35.88%", it is explained.

The Bceao informs that Côte d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Mali account for 73.6% of the volume of operations and 77.8% of the total value of transactions in the Union in 2017, compared to 76.6% and 82.9% respectively a year earlier.