The End of Closed Mobile Money Networks in West Africa

Beginning November 2, 2026, mobile money across the eight WAEMU member countries operates under a revised financial framework. Through Instruction n° 020 , signed by Governor Jean-Claude Kassi Brou on October 8, the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) has introduced the most significant regulatory update to the region’s digital finance sector since the 2015 baseline framework. The instruction introduces three structural changes: scale, liquidity, and pricing.