Key stakeholders from across South Africa convened in Cape Town from 29–30 October 2024 for the "Sustainable Livelihoods Roundtable Discussion,"

From 2 to 5 September, our CEO, Brendan Pearce, joined the Forum in San Salvador, moderating a session on using innovation and AI to support women-owned informal businesses, and sharing insights on data's role in financial inclusion.

At the 2024 SARB Payments Conference, it was stressed that financial inclusion starts with access but must lead to active use for it to make a real difference.

Johannesburg, 16 September 2024 – The FinScope MSME South Africa 2024 Survey, launched recently in a virtual event hosted by FinMark Trust, provides critical insights into the evolving Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME) sector

The media extensively reported on the insights of the FinScope Consumer South Africa 2023 report. You can find links to most of the TV, radio, and news reports here.

FinMark Trust launches its annual FinScope Consumer South Africa 2023 results today through a virtual webinar. This year's findings highlight the pressing financial challenges South Africans are facing.

Brendan Pearce: Last rites - Desmond Tutu’s lesson for us

Archbishop Desmond Tutu performed one last act of leadership in requesting a pine casket, igniting the long-overdue national conversation on what it means to be buried with dignity.

Migrants have been hit especially hard by the COVID-19 economic fallout. In addition to lockdowns and job losses, they struggle to access adequate support, especially for their families back home that depend on them.

This blog shares updates on the launched Income Relief Fund for Migrants to provide short term relief to SADC migrants and their families with support from FCDO

The Power of Individuals

Why Formal Institutions Aren’t the Only Ones Driving Africa’s Innovation and Fintech Space

‘Are We There Yet?’: How to Deal with Delays – And Other Challenges.

In Acquiring Financial Transaction Data

Finding Partners in Uncharted Territory: How to Harness Network Effect

Learning how to navigate a complex and changing stakeholder landscape is an essential skill for anyone in the social impact space.

How Can We Stop Losing Our Minds: Producing a Legacy From Development

Have you ever run, funded or been part of a development project? Have you ever thought: “We should definitely share what we learned?”

Delivering Online Skills Training in Africa

The shortage of data science skills is a major challenge for Africa. With relatively few local institutions offering degrees in the subject

Making Technical Assistance Work in Africa

It’s not easy delivering data-driven financial services to financially excluded customers in Africa. That’s why technical assistance can be essential

Inside-Out: The Good and the Bad of insight2impact

Does this situation sound familiar? A development program generates lots of intriguing insights – but once it's over

How can we ensure that financial consumers aren't negatively affected by discriminatory algorithms?

Digital platforms have the potential to contribute to financial inclusion and attainment of the SDGs more broadly.

DataHack4FI brings together data enthusiasts and emerging tech companies to promote data-driven solutions for financial and economic inclusion.

View the presentations from delegates at the SADC FI Forum 2019

Find out more about our behavioural science engagements.

Read more about the implications for financial inclusion and download the presentation.

As societies and economies change, so should the financial products that serve them.

With our new project, we explore digital platforms and how financial products should evolve due to societal, economic and technological changes.

A list of curated links for those looking to improve their data skills and access data science networks.

Proud new partnership between insight2impact (i2i) and the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences – Next Einstein Initiative (AIMS-NEI)

The IDRC has partnered with i2i to extend the reach of DataHack4FI.

Look at what the winning teams from Season 1 DataHack4FI have achieved in the last year.

Survey findings from six African countries

Is your organisation's data sufficiently trained for the successful deployment of a chatbot?

Curated resources for those exploring open banking and APIs

The DataHack4FI Season 2 launch in Accra kick-started the competition that uses data to solve problems.

Digitising MSMEs’ financial records through the MYAccounts products

Our behavioural interventions database identifies the interventions that affect the uptake or use of specific financial products.

Data sharing can promote financial sector innovation but concerns about data privacy have increased.

A glimpse of the future of financial inclusion measurement where needs and usage are considered

i2i's Shirley Jeoffreys-Leach reflects on the Kantar “Accelerate your marketing” event

The first in-country launch of DataHack 4 Financial Inclusion Season 2 takes place in Ghana, November 2017

Which aspects of design or elements of service should a financial service provider incorporate to build trust?

Introducing our database of behavioural studies linked to the uptake or use of financial products

Compare the data from four editions of FinScope Tanzania and see how the financial landscape has changed.

The second in two-part series of curated links to articles offering tips on developing a data strategy.

If you are not already following a data-oriented business strategy, it can be difficult to know where to start. Two handbooks offer practical advice for FSPs.

i2i conducts research in Tanzania in partnership with Branch (a digital FSP).

This year's Global Policy Forum (GPF) will take place from 13-15 September in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt

Insight2impact has partnered with the Helix Institute of Digital Finance to deliver capacity-building in data analytics to FSPs

i2i is offering technical assistance to the Vanguard Group in Ghana, a financial services group that has insurance and banking divisions.

A training course in Kuala Lumpur provided the ideal opportunity to present our approach to measuring financial inclusion.

The Micro Finance Unit, a subsidiary of the Ministry of Finance, in 2015 commissioned for the first time in Swaziland, the FinScope MSME Survey Swaziland 2017.

i2i is talking to financial service providers about the way data can be used to unlock new markets.

Our team met with key stakeholders in Nigeria recently to discuss the testing and refining of our measurement frameworks.

Research houses are invited to view the terms of reference.

Catch up with three winning teams from DataHack4FI.

Increasing prominence of FI spawns data-gathering initiatives to measure, understand and improve it

Opportunity to provide technical support for Zimbabwean study.

i2i is piloting its measurement frameworks in Zimbabwe

Remittance markets comprise both a commercial opportunity for financial sector operators, and an important means of supporting impoverished communities.

Team Mobiticket has been awarded top spot in the i2i DataHack4FI competition.

The world today is driven by data and we have no control of how this data is created

A lesson on the state of insurance and financial inclusion in Zambia.

The results show that the formal financial inclusion rate in Burkina Faso is at 40% while 39% of adults are financially excluded.

To hold the first Financial Inclusion Data Analysis Boot Camp in Uganda

‘Financial inclusion’ is one of the buzzwords in the development circle that always finds mention.

Developing data-driven solutions to real-world problems

i2i launches the DataHacks4Fi competition series

The meetings highlight the tremendous wealth of data

FSD 8th annual CEOs meeting in Addis Ababa

Spatial data for business intelligence in Dar es Salaam

FinScope MSME Lesotho involved a range of stakeholders engaging in a comprehensive consultation process, thereby enriching the survey.

Mobile-based banking system that enables farmers to access credit

One of i2i's objectives is to increase the use of client data and analytics

ILO 1st community of practice meeting

I2I recently appointed the science and technology company, Vizzuality

We asked members’ advice on two areas: i2i’s overarching strategy and the specific work of the Measurement team.

Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) Global Policy Forum 2016 in Nadi, Fiji.

Alternative data sources and analytical methodologies for financial service provision.

The event will feature an interactive discussion on the findings of the Client Insights Focus Note.

Participants were interested in what other applications of big data there were outside of credit.

FSD Uganda invites FSPs to explore new data, new opportunities

The Swaziland Credit Data Sharing Association (SCDSA) will be officially launched today by the Minister of Finance in Ezulwini, Swaziland.

About 31.2 million (84%) of adults are formally served, that is they have a bank and other formal non- bank product/services, compared to 80% in 2014.

FinMark Trust released the results of its annual FinScope South Africa 2012 survey results today.  

FinMark Trust recently commissioned research that has uncovered the far-reaching impact of savings and credit groups

The FIP is one of the protocols entered into by the SADC member states to give legal and practical effect to their commitments under the SADC Treaty.