Formal & Mobile Money Savings Statistics in Lesotho (2026)
According to World Bank Global Findex data, 34.5% of adults in Lesotho saved at a formal financial institution or using a mobile money account in 2024. Up from 30.8% in 2022 to 34.5% in 2024 (+3.7 percentage points). Lesotho ranks #12 of 36 economies in Sub-Saharan Africa on this measure, and #57 of 142 globally.
Key Statistics
- Latest value (2024)
- 34.5% (2024)
- Formal & Mobile Money Savings in Lesotho as of 2024, the most recent observation in World Bank Global Findex data.
- Change since 2022
- +3.7 pp (2024)
- Up from 30.8% in 2022 to 34.5% in 2024 (+3.7 percentage points).
- Earliest value in this dataset (2011)
- 7.9% (2011)
- Earliest observation in this dataset, which covers 1990 onward (the source series may begin earlier). Up from 7.9% in 2011 to 34.5% in 2024.
- Record high (2024)
- 34.5% (2024)
- The 2024 value is the highest in the available World Bank Global Findex series for Lesotho.
- Rank in Sub-Saharan Africa
- #12 of 36 (2024)
- Lesotho ranks 12 of 36 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with data, based on each country's latest value.
- Global rank
- #57 of 142 (2024)
- Lesotho ranks 57 of 142 countries with data globally.
- Sub-Saharan Africa average
- 30.8% (2024)
- Lesotho (34.5%) is above the average of 30.8% across the 36 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with data.
- Saved at a bank or similar financial institution (% age 15+) (2024)
- 12.9% (2024)
- Related indicator from World Bank Global Findex.
- Internet use in Lesotho (2024)
- 51.8% (2024)
- 51.8% of the population in Lesotho used the internet in 2024 (World Bank); shown for context only.
- Population (2024)
- 2.3 million (2024)
- Lesotho had a population of 2.3 million in 2024 (World Bank); shown for scale only.
Trend, 2011–2024
| Year | % of adults (age 15+) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 34.5% | +3.7 pp |
| 2022 | 30.8% | +22.0 pp |
| 2017 | 8.8% | +0.9 pp |
| 2011 | 7.9% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What share of adults in Lesotho saved at a formal financial institution or using a mobile money account?
34.5% of adults in Lesotho saved at a formal financial institution or using a mobile money account in 2024, according to World Bank Global Findex data.
Where does the formal & mobile money savings data for Lesotho come from?
The data comes from the World Bank Global Findex (indicator fin17a.17a1.d). The latest observation for Lesotho is from 2024; the snapshot was retrieved on 2026-06-10.
How has formal & mobile money savings in Lesotho changed over time?
World Bank Global Findex data show a rise from 7.9% in 2011 to 34.5% in 2024.
Source & methodology
Source: World Bank Global Findex, indicator
fin17a.17a1.d, retrieved .
Figures are shown exactly as published in the source dataset; only the change column of the trend table is computed from adjacent published values.Read more on the methodology page. All figures are estimates and projections; this is not financial advice.
Last updated .