30 July 2025Team Shega
Card Banking in Ethiopia - Adoption, Challenges & OpportunitiesThis key report by Shega, developed under the AKOFADA project, explores the development of card banking channels in Ethiopia, with a focus on ATMs, POS systems, and various forms of payment cards. Despite this progress, access and usage remain uneven, especially in rural regions where infrastructure, digital literacy, and connectivity pose significant challenges.
The report notes that while technological innovations, like biometric-enabled ATMs and prepaid card options, have emerged, the majority of users still engage with cards mainly for withdrawing cash. Broader use of digital payments remains limited. To address these gaps, the report emphasizes the need for targeted efforts to strengthen rural access, expand the functionality of payment tools, enhance user education, and support interoperable solutions through key players like banks, fintechs, and EthSwitch. These efforts are critical to achieving widespread, inclusive financial access across Ethiopia.
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