Stories of Good: Unlocking Financial Inclusion with Mobile Network Data

At TransUnion, we’re committed to ensuring everyone is reliably represented in the global economy. As champions of financial inclusion, we’re expanding access to financial health and opportunity around the world — including regions like Africa.      

In June 2025, TransUnion Africa launched our CreditVision^® Telco Data Score, a groundbreaking credit scoring solution that uses mobile phone call data records to help millions of South Africans with limited or no formal credit history gain access to financial services. Simply put, we’re using our data, technology and partnerships to make the invisible visible.    

The CreditVision Telco Data Score helps score up to 30% more of the previously unscorable adult population, bringing the power of credit within reach for millions who’ve been previously left behind. According to TransUnion data, the impact is real: low-risk individuals significantly increase their credit exposure within 18 months of becoming credit active, underscoring the long-term benefits of responsible financial inclusion strategies. Not only that, but the score also has benefits for lenders — demonstrating a 25–35% improvement in predictive performance over previous alternative data models, based on recent pre-launch validations across the retail and banking sectors.

The CreditVision Telco Data Score reflects a broader shift towards using diverse data sources to build more accurate and inclusive financial access. Take some time to watch the video below and hear directly from the experts behind this launch.