During Ramadan and Lent, solidarity is increasingly expressed through digital tools. In Côte d’Ivoire, mobile phones and mobile money are becoming quiet but essential tools for managing household spending and supporting relatives.

Daily life in Côte d’Ivoire slows as Lent and Ramadan begin. Schedules shift, meals are reorganised and household spending adjusts. Yet economic activity does not stop. It simply changes form.

Each year, the weeks of fasting strengthen family solidarity. Money transfers to relatives, sometimes in another city or abroad, become more frequent. Spending on shared meals rises. Donations to social and religious causes increase. In a context of persistent pressure on purchasing power, many households must make tighter budget choices. These adjustments increasingly take place through mobile phones.

In the first quarter of 2025, Côte d’Ivoire recorded more than 60 million mobile subscriptions for a population of just over 30 million people, according to the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Côte d’Ivoire (ARTCI). More than 35 million mobile internet subscriptions were also registered, confirming the central role of digital technology in everyday life.

Digital tools strengthen family solidarity

During Ramadan and Lent, this digital infrastructure becomes especially important. Supporting a parent elsewhere in the country, sending money to relatives in neighbouring states, or paying bills remotely is no longer simply a convenience. It has become essential.

In this ecosystem, Orange Côte d’Ivoire plays a central role. The operator serves more than 31 million subscribers, according to ARTCI. Its Orange Money service allows instant transfers between individuals, as well as bill payments and mobile credit purchases, sometimes with reduced or waived fees during promotional campaigns held during this period.

These features, often taken for granted in normal times, become more valuable when households seek to reduce travel, avoid queues and keep close control over their spending. Digital payment tools also help households plan their finances. Bills can be paid on time, transfers tracked and expenses anticipated more easily.

The operator also offers targeted incentives during major religious periods. These include free transfers to countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal and Guinea, bonuses on mobile money recharges and advantages on internet data packages. Integrated into daily habits, these offers resonate strongly at a time when households try to optimise every expense. Savings made on transaction fees or mobile data can be redirected toward food purchases, meals to break the fast, or support for relatives and communities.

In parallel, the Orange Côte d’Ivoire Foundation has launched the sixth edition of its national “Ramadan and Christian Lent” donation caravan. The initiative mobilises tens of millions of CFA in food and essential goods for religious communities across the country. This social component complements the operator’s digital services and reflects a broader effort to support communities during key spiritual periods.

Connectivity and new budgeting habits

Beyond financial transactions, the mobile phone has become an organisational tool. Fasting periods concentrate spending at specific times of the day or month. Being able to track transactions in real time, centralise payments and avoid travel helps households manage their budgets more efficiently.

Connectivity also plays a social role. Online prayer broadcasts, family groups on social networks and messages exchanged across distance strengthen the sense of community. In a country marked by strong religious diversity, digital platforms have become shared spaces for spiritual life and social cohesion.

Ramadan and Lent thus highlight a broader transformation: the mobile phone is no longer used only to communicate, but also to organise daily life, manage spending and support the domestic economy.

Moutiou Adjibi Nourou