In a country where financial exclusion has long been a barrier to economic participation, La Poste de Djibouti is leading digital transformation through its innovative initiative – POST CASH. Supported by the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and funded through the Japan Fund, the project is expanding access to digital financial services (DFS) for underserved communities across the East African country.
In a country where financial exclusion has long been a barrier to economic participation, La Poste de Djibouti is leading digital transformation through its innovative initiative – POST CASH. Supported by the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and funded through the Japan Fund, the project is expanding access to digital financial services (DFS) for underserved communities across the East African country.
Launched under the UPU’s Financial Inclusion Technical Assistance Facility (FITAF), the project aims to deliver a mobile-based financial services platform tailored to meet local needs. It focuses on providing secure and affordable digital transaction services, particularly for unbanked populations, small businesses and migrant workers. Beyond infrastructure, POST CASH is also helping to foster a culture of digital financial literacy, trust and usability.
“The project team completed the deployment on time and on budget, while also raising the visibility of the Post’s role in enabling digital solutions for its customers”, said UPU Director General Masahiko Metoki, noting encouraging early results.
By April 2025, the platform had already reached one-third of its target, with 10,000 users registered –evidence of rapid adoption. La Poste de Djibouti has invested significantly in human capital, training and certifying 65 per cent of its staff as financial inclusion ambassadors. These staff members support communities new to digital finance. In parallel, six financial education centres have been set up at key post office locations to offer user training and raise awareness.
Feedback from these initiatives has been overwhelmingly positive. La Poste de Djibouti reported a 92 per cent satisfaction rate among training participants, highlighting the impact of these efforts. “We are dedicated to driving the digital financial ecosystem forward for the benefit of all”, said Bahnan Ali Maidal, Director General of La Poste de Djibouti, in a letter to the UPU.
The project has further strengthened La Poste de Djibouti’s role as a key player in national development. By lowering transaction costs and introducing affordable mobile payment options, POST CASH supports national priorities and the central bank’s vision for inclusive finance. It has also created new revenue streams and laid the groundwork for future offerings, including microloans and digital savings products.
Rather than importing a standard solution, the platform was tailored to Djibouti’s specific context with the technical support provided by the UPU and strong national ownership. This combination of international expertise and local insight has been vital to the project’s success.
The implementation process, however, was not without challenges. Integration with legacy systems required extensive customization, and poor connectivity in rural areas initially restricted service access. These issues were addressed through partnerships with telecom providers and infrastructure sharing to improve coverage.
Social and educational barriers also emerged. Low digital literacy, especially among older users and rural communities, required in-person support and peer learning strategies to build trust. A traditional preference for cash transactions was gradually overcome through consistent community engagement.
Operationally, the initiative required close coordination with the government, the central bank and the UPU. Delivering staff training nationwide was logistically complex, but La Poste de Djibouti managed this through mobile training teams and a standardized curriculum to ensure consistency.
Looking ahead, La Poste de Djibouti plans to build on this momentum. The project’s next phase, expected in late 2025, will expand the financial education centres and launch an upgraded version of the POST CASH platform, with new services such as micro-savings and insurance products.
This initiative demonstrates the evolving role of postal networks in the 21st century. No longer just channels for mail and parcel deliveries, national Posts are becoming vital platforms for the provision of inclusive digital services from financial access and e-commerce to citizen engagement.