21/10/2026
Angola launched a program to bring millions of people into the formal financial system.
Bankita made it easy to get started. People came in and opened accounts.
But many withdrew their entire balance that same day and never came back.
That tells us something important.
Opening an account creates access. It doesn’t necessarily create financial inclusion.
For people to stay in the system, the account has to become part of their everyday lives. A way to pay, transfer money, save, access services, or meet a real financial need.
Access gets people through the door. Utility gives them a reason to come back.
And perhaps one of the biggest challenges for fintech in Africa isn’t earning the first transaction.
It’s earning the second.