For years, the conversation around financial inclusion in Africa has centered on access. Access to bank accounts. Access to mobile money. Access to credit, savings, insurance.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth:
Access alone isn’t enough. Because just having the rails doesn’t mean people are using them or benefiting from them.
The last mile isn’t just infrastructure. It’s intelligence.
And that’s where AI comes in.
Why AI Is the Missing Layer
We already have the payment infrastructure from mobile wallets to APIs. What we don’t have at scale is the intelligence layer that helps users:
- Make better decisions
- Avoid mistakes
- Build trust with the system
- Come back again and again
That’s what AI does when it’s embedded right.
Not ChatGPT-level general intelligence. But practical AI:
- Detecting intent in WhatsApp messages
- Confirming payments in natural language
- Following up with reminders
- Answering questions in Swahili
At Ghala, We’ve Seen This Firsthand
Merchants were already “financially included” they had mobile money.
But when we layered AI into their workflows:
- Orders got fulfilled faster
- Payments got confirmed instantly
- Repeat customers returned more often
- Trust in the platform grew not because of UX, but because it felt smart
That’s inclusion that sticks. Not just access engagement. Not just reach retention.
Financial Inclusion Isn’t Just About Who’s Connected It’s About Who’s Empowered
You can put rails in place. But if people don’t know where the train goes or when to get on you’ve built infrastructure, not inclusion.
AI is what turns financial access into financial action. It helps users:
- Understand
- Respond
- Stay active
- And grow
That’s the real last mile.