AI and mobile money data can unlock financial inclusion for African women, says Otema Yirenkyi
Artificial intelligence and alternative financial data could help bridge Africa’s gender financing gap by giving women entrepreneurs access to credit, financial advice and cross-border markets, has said.
Speaking during a panel discussion at the in Accra, Ms Yirenkyi the Co-founder &
Operations Director, Because She Can said technology can help financially excluded women build credibility even without formal bank accounts.
Using mobile money transaction histories and machine learning systems, she explained, fintech firms can analyse spending and business patterns to make lending decisions for informal traders and small business owners.
“You can take their mobile money transactions over time and it can tell you a story about how they work and how money moves through their businesses,” she said.
Ms Yirenkyi referenced her experience building a loan decision engine powered by artificial intelligence to support women-owned businesses that traditionally struggle to access formal credit.
She also highlighted the growing role of generative AI tools in helping women entrepreneurs manage inventory, production planning and loan preparation processes.
“Before you can even get access to a financial advisor, you can use AI tools to give you insight,” she said.
According to her, technology is increasingly reducing operational barriers for small businesses, particularly within industries such as fashion and retail, where AI-powered modelling and augmented reality tools now allow entrepreneurs to market products digitally at lower cost.
“AI tools can model your clothes for you and customers can even see themselves wearing them before they purchase,” she noted.
Ms Yirenkyi further stressed the importance of borderless digital payment systems to support Africa’s growing freelance and remote work economy.
Through her mentorship platform Ascendancy, she said many women across countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya and Ghana are building digital skills and seeking freelance opportunities, but payment limitations continue to constrain expansion.
“How do you get money across borders?” she asked.
She warned that despite progress in digital inclusion, access to hardware remains a major challenge for women seeking careers in technology.
“If you want to move fully into tech, you need more than just a mobile phone. You need a laptop or desktop,” she said.
Beyond access to devices, Ms Yirenkyi also criticised persistent workplace bias and unsafe corporate environments that continue to push women out of the technology industry.
“We don’t prepare the workplace enough for women to stay,” she said, calling for safer and more inclusive workspaces capable of supporting long-term female participation in the digital economy.
