The Bank of Mozambique (BdM) recorded, in the first quarter of 2025, a significant strengthening of the geographic coverage of financial services, driven mainly by the dynamism of banking agents and Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) across the national territory.
According to BdM data consulted by Diário Económico (DE) on Wednesday (June 4), during the period in question, the number of bank branches slightly decreased, remaining at 9 branches per 10,000 km², but this was largely offset by the increase in financial agents.
In March 2025, there were 13 banking agents per 10,000 km², distributed as 3 in urban areas and 5 in rural areas, which facilitated access to banking services in previously underserved locations. Similarly, MFI agents reached approximately 3,941 per 10,000 km², reinforcing the role of these institutions in promoting financial inclusion in more remote regions.
Regarding accounts per area, there was an increase of 1.45% in the number of bank accounts per 10,000 km², rising from 77,068 in the fourth quarter of 2024 to 78,189 in the first quarter of 2025.
Of these accounts, 26,115 belong to women and 49,238 to men, reflecting efforts toward inclusion of both genders. For MFI accounts, growth of 2.65% was observed, increasing from 259,000 to 265,890 per 10,000 km², with approximately 122,036 registered in the name of women and 143,693 in the name of men.
The stock of bank cards also showed positive growth, rising from 39,404 to 41,382 per 10,000 km², representing an increase of 5.02%. Of these, 14,882 are held by women and 24,517 by men. Out of the total, 38,529 correspond to debit cards and 1,271 to credit cards, indicating a preference for common payment methods, especially in areas where formal banking penetration is still limited.
These indicators show that despite the slight contraction in the number of bank branches, the network of banking and MFI agents has expanded the availability of financial products and services to more and more communities, contributing to economic dynamism and the reduction of regional disparities.
The Bank of Mozambique, however, emphasizes that challenges remain. “It is essential to continue reducing gender disparities, ensuring that more women have access to formal financial products, and to strengthen the training and supervision of agents in isolated areas to guarantee the quality of services provided.”
“Support for MFIs as a vector of inclusion in rural regions will remain a priority, as will the promotion of financial literacy programs that enable families and micro and small enterprises to fully benefit from the expansion of geographic coverage.”
Source: Diário Económico
