This short film tells the story of an innovative mobile banking service, M-BIRR, provided by Ethiopian banks and Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), that allows locals to make financial transactions by simply using their phone. M-BIRR, which that takes its name from the birr, the country’s currency, is a fast, convenient and reliable way of sending and receiving money, paying for goods in shops or buying airline tickets, day and night, with a few clicks. This service is part of the mobile phenomenon that is transforming finances in Africa, where logistics is often difficult and people have to travel and queue long hours to access basic services.
“I think it is particularly encouraging because it combines the idea of inclusion with technology and open new markets, new possibilities for people, so this is something that revolutionises the access to the labour market and to entrepreneurial activities. This is something that Europe can learn from”, says Werner Hoyer, President of the European Investment Bank (EIB).
The EIB supports MOSS ICT, the operator behind the M-Birr platform.
