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This blog is part of a series documenting our program’s journey to accelerate the development of inclusive payments systems for universal access to financial services in Africa. #IAmAfricaNenda
Insights from AfricaNenda's Pre-Project Support Journey: Six Key Lessons
The past two years have been an exciting and rewarding period for AfricaNenda as we help to advance the development of instant and inclusive payment systems that can make a difference for the 350 million financially excluded adults in Africa. An effort on this daunting scale, encompassing a diversity of needs across many countries and regions has many aspects and many stakeholders.
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Blogs
The Fintech of Things: Travel notes from the 2023 Inclusive Fintech Forum in Kigali
If anything, attending the 2023 Inclusive Fintech Forum (IFF) in Kigali, June 20-22, 2023, raised my already high optimism regarding the role of fintech in Africa’s present and future development. The event shed light on how a blend of political will, mindset shifts and policy and regulatory upgrades in the fintech space can foster the next generation of growth businesses on the continent.
Blogs
The Vital Role of Inclusive Payment Systems in Africa's Financial Inclusion Journey
The COVID-19 pandemic showed the critical importance of digitization when travel and physical interactions were severely restricted. As digital platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams became the new normal for work interactions, the increase in usage of e-commerce platforms enabled commercial activities to continue.
Blogs
The Rise and Stall of CBDCs and Cryptocurrencies in Africa: What's Next?
Coming out of last year’s SIIPS, there seemed to be demonstrative progress across Africa toward central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). eNaira was reaching tens of thousands of transactions, and the e-Cedi was on its way to a full launch. However, 2023 has created new headwinds for CBDCs and their cousins, crypto-currency.
Financial inclusion
Building a Better Digital Future: An Introduction to Digital Public Goods
The term Open-Source Software (OSS) can be traced back to the 1990s when the founders wanted to advocate for free and open software without being misconstrued to be free. Twenty years later OSS is the backbone for most of the new enterprise technologies. So, what is the buzz about?
Financial inclusion
What does it feel like to be unbanked?
Last year, while I attended the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, my handbag was stolen. Suddenly, I found that I had no identification document, no debit or credit card, and no cash. Throughout this ordeal, I depended on my colleagues to loan me cash. I have never felt so vulnerable, excluded, with no control over accessing my finances or a solution to cover my expenses. It was quite daunting.
SIIPS
Tapping into the power of data to accelerate IIPS in Africa
The first State of Instant and Inclusive Payment Systems launched in 2022 in collaboration with the World Bank and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) captured the growing potential of Instant and Inclusive Payment Systems (IIPS) in Africa through a detailed set of tools and reports based on data analytics.
SIIPS
State of Instant and Inclusive Payment Systems in Africa 2022 report coming soon : A sneak-peak at end-users' experience.
With the emergence of instant payment systems (IPSs) in Africa, digital payments are becoming just as available and immediate as cash transactions, but whether people actually adopt and often use digital payments is another question. This might be for several reasons and often depends on the country.
Instant payment systems