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.

The launch of the FinScope MSME South Africa 2024 results unveiled the most recent insights into the key challenges and advancements in financial inclusion and sector development for MSMEs in South Africa.

The 2023 year survey shows financial inclusion has increased, with a significant drop in financial exclusion from 51% in 2014 to 12% in 2023, largely due to the rapid adoption of mobile money services.

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.

Lesotho has made remarkable strides in financial inclusion, with 87% of its population having access to formal financial services in 2021. This commendable achievement positions the country among the most financially inclusive in the region.

FinScope Consumer South Africa 2023 Survey Launch Presentation

The presentation of results by Jabulani Khumalo - Senior Data and Analytics Specialist, a keynote address by Dr. Pali Lehohla, and a panel discussion with experts Kershia Singh, Dr. Thabang Chiloane, and Pamela Ramagaga.

This year's findings highlight the financial challenges in South Africa, with 40% of adults borrowing money for food and 20 million adults experiencing electricity cuts due to affordability in the past year.

The Evolution of Mobile Money in Zimbabwe

Explore Zimbabwe's mobile money evolution, challenges and economic impact with our guide. Drawing on 2018-2021 data, this publication delves into the milestones, regulations and societal effects of mobile money services, and more.

The South African informal sector is a vibrant thread, pulsating with entrepreneurial energy. Valued at almost $10 billion annually and representing 17% of the country’s total employment.

Formal financial and economic inclusion remains pivotal in addressing the rampant inequality in many African economies today.

The modern world has moved towards digitisation, yet a significant gap remains in terms of financial and economic inclusion, particularly in Africa. Despite this, there is a substantial opportunity to harness the power of data to bridge this gap.

Rapport du Forum sur l'Inclusion Financière de la SADC 2023

Offre un résumé complet des perspectives précieuses et des discussions stimulantes partagées lors de la conférence. Le rapport comprend des interviews post-événement avec certains de nos principaux parties prenantes.

Apresenta um resumo abrangente das perspectivas valiosas e das discussões instigantes compartilhadas durante a conferência. O relatório inclui entrevistas pós-evento com alguns dos nossos principais intervenientes.

FinScope Angola 2022 Consumer Survey pocket guide

The FinScope Consumer Survey provides reliable benchmarks on financial inclusion in Angola, these findings benefit various sectors, with the aim of improving the lives of Angolan individuals.  

Families' access to financial resources is crucial for building thriving communities and fostering economic growth. Remittances, as a vital source of income, provide millions of people with the means to meet their basic needs.

FinMark Trust: Twentieth anniversary digital journal

Twenty years ago, when FinMark Trust was established, we took the dream of making financial markets work for the poor and turned it into reality. Join us as we reflect on this journey, with key milestones highlighted in our digital journal.

Community Digitalisation pocket guide

This summary guide of the report on the state of the digital payments ecosystem in South African townships (Hammanskraal and Tembisa) shares key insights and recommendations from research conducted in 2022.

Provide an in-depth understanding of community needs and attitudes vis-à-vis financial services, digital services, community structures and support services.

FinScope Demand Side Survey Ghana 2021 - Pocket guide

The Ghana Demand Side Survey 2021 provides credible benchmarks on the level of financial inclusion and, using empirical evidence, guides focused and targeted financial inclusion strategies.

FinScope consumer surveys offer insights into people's financial needs, preferences, and behaviour. It does not attempt to replicate the work of censuses or other annual surveys.

Past and present leaders of FinMark Trust discuss our beginnings, our impact and our plans to continue encouraging financial markets to work for the poor.

Remittances Market Assessment 2021 - Pocket guide

This pocket guide highlights key findings from the market assessment of remittance flows into and out of South Africa using SARB data and a mystery shopping exercise looking at the costs of remitting via various channels, from South Africa.

Remittances Market Assessment 2021

FinMark Trust conducted a market assessment of remittance flows into and out of South Africa using SARB data and a mystery shopping exercise looking at the costs of remitting via various channels, from South Africa to other countries in the SADC.

To celebrate this milestone in our own development – and for the development of the financial inclusion landscape over the past 20 years, we will be hosting a series of webinars.

The road to the Olympics for a young woman in the country is fraught with hurdles, though. To unpack why, consider the hurdles a young woman who is an aspiring Olympic athlete must overcome,

MAP Botswana Financial Inclusion Refresh 2021

Botswana is moving towards the 2021 goal of reducing financial exclusion to 12% or increasing usage of more than one type of formal financial service to 57%.

SMME Finance Scoping: Services and Light Manufacturing

The objectives of this study are to understand the SMME landscape in Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini and Malawi, and provide recommendations for a financial inclusion and growth strategy.

Presentation on the impact of the RBA shift to AML/CTF

The study aimed to review the impact of the switch from the KYC approach to the risk-based approach on financial inclusion.

Report on the impact of the shift to a risk-based approach to AML/CTF

South Africa has implemented a shift from a rules-based approach to anti-money laundering and combating terrorist financing (AML/CTF) to a risk-based approach (RBA), a move that came into effect with the amendment to the Financial Intelligence Act.

The Great Reset has happened. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the inflection point with systemic effects that affect how people live their lives

MAP Eswatini Financial Inclusion Refresh 2020

This report reviews the implementation of the 2014 MAP Eswatini diagnostic, considers market changes, and identifies financial inclusion interventions to grow the economy

MAP Zimbabwe Financial Inclusion Refresh 2020

This report reviews the implementation of the 2016 MAP Zimbabwe diagnostic, considers market changes, and identifies financial inclusion interventions to grow the economy

Access to basic services Botswana

This scoping study has been conducted to identify the barriers and opportunities to enable affordable digital delivery and access to basic services in Botswana.

Access to basic services Malawi

This scoping study has been conducted to identify the barriers and opportunities to enable affordable digital delivery and access to basic services in Malawi.

Access to basic services Eswatini

This scoping study has been conducted to identify the barriers and opportunities to enable affordable digital delivery and access to basic services in Eswatini.

Access to basic services Madagascar

This scoping study has been conducted to identify the barriers and opportunities to enable affordable digital delivery and access to basic services in Madagascar.

Access to basic services Lesotho

This scoping study has been conducted to identify the barriers and opportunities to enable affordable digital delivery and access to basic services in Lesotho.

2020 Annual Report

While we continue to focus on inclusive development of financial markets, we expanded our strategies to include a more direct focus on real economy impacts with FI 2.0

FinScope Mozambique District Report 2019 (English)

The FinScope Mozambique 2019 survey is the third FinScope survey implemented in Mozambique, following the baseline of 2009 and repeat of 2014.

FinScope Mozambique District Report 2019 (Portuguese)

FinScope 2019 marca o terceiro ciclo em que este inquérito nacionalmente representativo sobre a inclusão financeira é efectuado em Moçambique

The UK has announced a new package to reach 750 000 people in 8 countries across Southern Africa helping communities worst affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

FinScope Mozambique Gender Dashboard 2020 (Portuguese)

Este painel representa alguns dos principais dados de mercado sobre inclusão financeira com foco nas mulheres.

Limited support has been provided for economic migrants who send money home to support family members. See what support has been created for migrants in South Africa.

FinScope by Numbers Mozambique 2019 brochure (Portuguese)

View highlights from the Mozambique FinScope Consumer Survey 2019 comparing levels of financial inclusion between 2019 and 2014.

FinScope by Numbers Mozambique 2019 brochure (English)

View highlights from the Mozambique FinScope Consumer Survey 2019 comparing levels of financial inclusion between 2019 and 2014.

FinScope Consumer Survey Mozambique 2019 Pocket Guide (English)

Mozambique implemented the 3rd Mozambique FinScope Survey to help monitor and evaluate sector interventions driven by the National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS).

FinScope Consumer Survey Mozambique 2019 Report (English)

Read this 2019 full report for more information about the state of financial inclusion in Mozambique.

Four findings from the DataHack4FI Innovation Competition.

Exploring the relationship between platforms, participants and financial services.

Measuring Progress: Financial inclusion in SADC - 2019 Report

The MAP country implementation is a key pillar of the SADC FI strategy, implemented with the SADC Secretariat and the SADC Committee for Central Bank Governors.

Zimbabwe Financial Inclusion Forum 2019 Report

The forum was held under the theme “Strengthening Financial Inclusion in Zimbabwe, from Policy to Practice: Lessons and Way Forward”

The Fourth SADC Financial Inclusion Forum Report

The fourth SADC Financial Inclusion Forum was held this year to further advance the aspirations of the SADC Strategy on Financial Inclusion and SME access to finance.

An update on behavioural interventions which have proven to influence financial decisions.

Exploring behavioural interventions to increase formal remittances.

Exploring behavioural interventions to improve insurance.

FinScope Benin Regional Financial Access 2019

MAP is a diagnostic and programmatic framework to support expanding access to financial services for individuals and micro and small- businesses.

While financial inclusion has risen to 68% globally, Sub Saharan Africa continues to lag with only 32% of its citizens having an account at a financial institution.

Behavioural interventions to better meet the financial needs of consumers

We recently rolled out a pilot study in Nigeria, to explore the digital financial services landscape and how it serves the people. Learn more about our findings here.

We take a closer look at financial inclusion research and the shift towards using transactional data to develop more meaningful indicators.

Read more about our work with the Nigerian Inter-bank Settlement System (NIBSS) and the key findings from our transactional data analysis.

We investigate the prospect of new financial inclusion indicators for policymakers, through transactional data analysis.

What opportunities does the digitisation of value chains create for the delivery of financial services?

FinScope Consumer Survey Benin 2018 Pocket Guide

This pocket guide represents some of the key market data on financial inclusion.

Read our interview with an entrepreneur building a digital identity business in Africa.

In mid-July, FinMark Trust and Bankable Frontiers Associate (BFA) set off to Malawi to conduct a feasibility study of the potential of a digital financial identity

Myanmar MAP Diagnostic 2018 Report

This MAP Refresh Myanmar document follows on from the original MAP (Making Access Possible) exercise in Myanmar in 2013/2014.

Myanmar MAP Country Report 2014

Making Access Possible is a multi-country initiative to support financial inclusion through a process of evidence-based country diagnostic and stakeholder dialogue, leading to the development of national financial inclusion roadmaps.

Using the example of three specific financial inclusion initiatives, we examine what drives usage.

FinScope Consumer Survey Haiti 2018: Topline Results presentation

Objectives of FinScope Haiti 2018

The Financial Access Points (FAP) mapping project in Lesotho was conducted between December 2017 and March 2018.

The current economic situation in South Africa presents a large number of people relying on the informal economy,

Namibians who do not have access to financial services stood at 22% in 2017, down from 31% in 2011 and 51% in 2007.

Financial Inclusion in SADC

The financial inclusion indicators are constructed from 14 SADC countries using findings of the FinScope Consumer surveys.

DataHack4FI in-country winners from Ghana offer a multiple-database-verification API solution to identity verification.

FinScope Consumer Survey Eswatini 2018 Pocket Guide

This repeat survey provides credible benchmarks on level of financial inclusion, financial capability and the quality of financial inclusion.

See what the i2i needs measurement framework reveals about consumer behaviour in Zimbabwe.

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

Many people don’t actively use formal financial services. Understanding why can render important policy insights. This note unpacks the various drivers of usage.

Using transactional and CRM data to identify an underserved consumer segment

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

The Face of Social Exclusion Infographic

Despite progress around the world, many people continue to face social exclusion (i.e., limited access to social and economic opportunities).

A recent study identified 18 unique behavioural interventions that FSPs can implement to influence the savings, credit, payment and insurance decisions of individuals.

DataHack4FI Season 1 in-country winner for Ghana

How a spatial understanding of financial inclusion can contribute to meaningful measurement and impact

Guidelines, standards and best practices for spatial data

Mobiticket is a start-up based in Nairobi. It focuses on digitising the informal public transport sector across developing countries.

A report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) explores the rise of technology-enabled innovation and ways to measure FI, with an input from i2i.

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

Financial service providers can use behavioural interventions to help their clients overcome the intention-behaviour gap.

If trust is critical for driving usage of financial products and services, how is trust built?

We buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like

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

A tool to assist practitioners more accurately interpret and report financial inclusion estimates

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

Lito Villanueva of FINTQ explains why banks and fintechs don't need to compete.

The importance of data for closing the financial inclusion gender gap

Psychologist Hal Hershfield talks to us about how trade-offs between the present and the future affect financial decision-making.

Developing valid and reliable survey scales

A process that can be used to design financial inclusion measuring instruments.

Exploring the factors that drive usage to better understand how the gap can be bridged.

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.

Barney de Jongh, of Digital Frontiers Institute, talks to us about leveraging agents and data and driving meaningful usage of mobile money products.

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

Ekow Duker of Ixio Analytics talks about the way financial service providers approach and use data. 

The third blog in our Measurement Frameworks series incorporates learnings from the retail sector on how consumers use products and engage with services.

The Second SADC Financial Inclusion Indaba

FinMark Trust, in partnership with SADC Secretariat and the SADC Banking Association is proud to have co-hosted the second Financial Inclusion Indaba

The second blog in our Measurement Frameworks series, building tools to measure how, and how much, consumers benefit from Financial Inclusion.

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

i2i interviews Marc van der Zon from Hollard on the challenges and opportunities that data presents.

Morné van der Westhuizen and Alex Shabala talk to us about Zoona's creative approach to data collection.

When it comes to data, banks have assets that fintechs lack, says Pieter Vorster.

The first of three blogs in our Introduction to Measurement Frameworks series, discussing how we focus on improving Financial Incusion.

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

Introduction to measurement frameworks

Determining our focus: A scan of the financial inclusion measurement field

Financial service usage: A conceptual model

Catering to every need: A measurement framework for functional financial service needs

Digging deeper: A measurement framework for depth of financial inclusion

Making good use: A measurement framework for financial service usage

Digitisation of social grant payments and financial inclusion

A quarter of South Africans rely on social grants and the grant allows millions to access formal financial services.

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

Nkosi introduces the i2i Applications Lab

The meetings highlight the tremendous wealth of data

BR Research recently sat down in Islamabad with a team of researchers from the insight2impact

Getting ready for the i2i and FSD Tanzania workshop on spatial data for business intelligence

Why what you measure in financial inclusion is so important to the outcomes you achieve

4th MasterCard Foundation Symposium on Financial Inclusion

FICA Act: Pre-implementation Study in South Africa

See the Financial Intelligence Centre Amendment (FICA) Act: Pre-implementation Study in South Africa report.

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

Patience, a restaurant owner in Goma in the eastern DRC, has a dream of owning her own land.

Building sustainable geospatial data resources

Where we are with the collection and use of GIS data

Herman Smit (Founder and Advisor) Interviews the new i2i lead, Celina Lee.

Alternative data sources and analytical methodologies

Botswana MAP Synthesis 2015 report

This Diagnostic report presents a comprehensive analysis of the financial inclusion environment in Botswana

Challenges & Opportunities for Health Finance in South Africa

Findings show that affordability of schemes is a key challenge for the low income market, largely due to regulatory constraints prescribed within the Medical Schemes Act.