Nairobi, May 26 -- Not long ago, access to financial markets across much of Africa was limited to institutions, high-net-worth individuals or those with direct ties to banking systems. For many people, investing, trading or even actively managing money beyond a basic account felt out of reach.

That reality has changed very quickly, and much of the change can be traced back to something far more familiar than a bank branch. And that's the smartphone.

Mobile technology has already transformed payments, savings and lending across the continent. What is becoming clearer now is that its influence is extending further into how individuals interact with financial markets themselves.

In countries where traditional infrastructure has struggled ...