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> Posted by Jeffrey Riecke, Communications Assistant, CFI

Opening a new bank branch is expensive. It requires a substantive up-front investment, and to stay open, the institution has to maintain an ample volume of business. This poses a challenge when trying to reach the financially excluded – many of whom live in relatively remote rural areas, and many of whom don’t have financial needs that draw a high volume of banking transactions. Mobile money is one way to mitigate this cost of bricks and mortar. But it is not the only way.

In pursuing financial inclusion, more and more countries are turning to the post office to offer on-the-spot financial services. Using this preexisting network, financial institutions are teaming up with postal services, outfitting the post offices so that they can conduct financial transactions, and training postal employees. Post office banking is only one variation of agent banking, which is increasingly practiced around the world, turning supermarkets, convenience stores, pharmaceutical retailers, and even lottery outlets into banking outlets.

It was just announced that Airtel – the second largest mobile phone provider in Madagascar – is expanding mobile money services to 170 post offices throughout Madagascar. Previously, clients’ deposits, withdrawals, and payments could only be made at Airtel and Bank of Africa locations. Only five percent of people in Madagascar have formal bank accounts.

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