We are delighted to share with you the DCB Index that was released today. Together with our cybersecurity for DCB partner Evina, we provide insights into the Direct Carrier Billing market of countries in the Middle East and Africa region (MEA), ranking them according to their current DCB status and potential to further develop this growth-boosting mobile payment method. 

This initiative is part of the strategic alliance between Evina and Telecoming to place DCB at the forefront of the payments industry and reinforce their commitment to developing a transparent, secure, and stable mobile economy. 

The classification ranges from 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest and 5 the highest DCB potential. The ranking is based on 4 main factors: mobile players’ actions to prevent fraud on DCB, their bent to innovate in DCB, the country’s overall DCB penetration and the DCB growth potential. 

For ready reference, the global rating of the region keeps stable at 2.8 points. And, if we look into specific countries, South Africa is leading the ranking, with the highest score (3.4 out of 5). This is thanks to all mobile operators that are deploying DCB, with an overall increase in fraud protection compared to last year, as well. 

In the Middle East and North Africa, Morocco and UAE steal the show, surpassing last year’s leader Bahrain. Morocco (3.3) has significantly increased DCB deployment and invested in cybersecurity measures to protect this payment technology, while in UAE (3.2) all mobile operators offer end users DCB to pay for various types of services yet major organizations still have to implement adequate protection.

Nigeria (3.1) and DR Congo (3.0) follow close behind, differentiating themselves by opening more opportunities for DCB deployment and increasing their level of protection against fraud attempts on Direct Carrier Billing. 

As shows our Chief Operations Officer, Roberto Monge, “the DCB Index seeks to provide the market with a standard indicator of an industry we know well. MEA is an extraordinarily dynamic and very mature region regarding mobile payments. In fact, the average level of innovation in DCB has increased by 13% compared to 2021 with the enlargement of new uses of this payment technology, such as sports subscriptions, that has grown considerably during the last year. We want to go along with operators and brands that wish to develop the market in a safe, sustainable, and profitable way. The countries analyzed have demonstrated their commitment to Direct Carrier Billing as a strategic growth lever for the so-called mobile economy in the region.”

Ali Karaosman, our Regional Director for MEA, adds that “if we talk about DCB penetration, we see a slight improvement with an overall rise of 4%. However, there is still room for growth. All players need to be aware of the big opportunity of adopting DCB as one of their preferred payment methods. Being able to safely opt-in and opt-out in just one click is a huge DCB advantage compared to other solutions. It offers the possibility of earning new revenues with digital experiences and content that were not previously monetized, as well as promoting new digital and personalized uses that can ease the day-to-day life of millions of citizens in the MEA region. That is why we are working hard to help organizations in the region seize the opportunity of putting the right technology tools and services in place for leveraging all DCB potential.” 

David Lotfi, CEO of Evina explains that “the overall fraud prevention of mobile players across the Middle East and African region has increased by 0.2 compared to 2021, showing a collective willingness to safeguard the powerful payment tool that is Direct Carrier Billing. Businesses have yet to understand that DCB can become even more powerful than credit cards and that mobile operators already have all the advantages to elevate DCB and become the biggest fintech companies. DCB is without a doubt a major opportunity for the African continent alongside mobile money, if protected with the right cybersecurity solutions. This DCB Index has been created with the sole purpose of giving mobile players an overview of the development of DCB in the MEA region in order to better understand how to improve their business in their own country, or what conditions to consider when deploying in these countries.” 

In this edition, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Saudi Arabia, and Mali, entered the DCB Index for the first time. 

The figures provided are algorithmic-based estimations calculated from data collected by Evina sensors and our intelligence. The DCB Index is intended for information purposes only and it is non-binding. We are pleased to share these informative figures with you.