Benchmarking financial inclusion through innovation

Explore the importance of benchmarking financial inclusion through innovation in Africa. Learn how data-driven strategies and emerging technologies like AI and geospatial mapping are advancing financial access, tackling challenges, and bridging the digital divide to create equitable financial solutions.

Digitisation as Africa’s Great Equaliser in Financial Services

Access to financial services in Africa had for decades been defined by disparities—between rural and urban areas, between men and women, between small businesses and larger enterprises. It meant that millions, especially the continent’s most vulnerable populations, were excluded from the formal economy, curbing entrepreneurship, restricting access to credit, and stifling upward financial mobility for far too long. 

Is cash dead? If your answer is yes you’re missing the point… and millions of customers

Is cash truly dead? With the rapid rise of fintech innovations and digital payment solutions, one might think so. Yet, despite the digital revolution sweeping across African societies, cash remains very much alive—and for millions, it is still the preferred way to transact. In the article, Cat Denoon-Stevens, Head of Product Incubation at Mukuru, discusses how cash remains an essential element of financial inclusion for millions. Fintechs must embrace this reality, offering flexible solutions that meet customers where they are—whether in the physical or digital realm.

THE RISE OF FINTECH INNOVATION IN SA: GOING BEYOND PAYMENTS TO TRANSFORM ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR STARTUPS

The piece, “The Rise of Fintech Innovation in SA: Going Beyond Payments to Transform Access and Opportunities for Startups,” discusses how fintech solutions have revolutionized how these businesses operate, providing access to affordable financial services, business management tools, and support.
This article offers valuable insights into the growing fintech ecosystem in South Africa and its potential to drive economic growth.