No smartphone? A mobile money agent can assist you in Kigali, Rwanda

BRIGHT yellow booths line the streets of Kigali, manned by people sporting vests of the same colour. Instead of peddling products, their job is to assist with money.

These individuals are known as mobile money agents, and they help Rwandans top up their mobile wallets – even those who don’t have a smartphone and barely have a 2G connection.

Hired by the country’s largest telecommunications company MTN, mobile money agents can be found in every corner of the capital. From pharmacies to ride-hailing services, mobile money is used everywhere. Even at church, Rwandans can make offerings with a mobile money account number.