We have launched a COVID-19 Tracker, The survey themes include health and risk behaviours, food security, income, work and job security, personal safety concerns, and access to government and community support. www.covid19tracker.africa
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The latest research, blog posts, articles, publications, videos and infographics across all our work.
SASSA has submitted videos to the 2025 International Social Security Video Festival, showcasing how grant recipients in the FinMark Trust-led Generating Better Livelihoods project are using social benefits, mentorship to improve their livelihoods.
SASSA has submitted videos to the 2025 International Social Security Video Festival, showcasing how grant recipients in the FinMark Trust-led Generating Better Livelihoods project are using social benefits, mentorship to improve their livelihoods.
As one of the learning partners of the Responsible Finance Forum 2025 by Center for Financial Inclusion by Accion, FinMark Trust hosted a field visit with stakeholders to the Digitalising Incomes for Informal and Low-Income Workers (TIPS) project.
Johannesburg, 20 May 2025, FinMark Trust releases the 2024 results of its annual FinScope Consumer South Africa study, revealing a stark reality: despite high levels of financial inclusion, millions of South Africans are struggling to make ends meet.
Two Decades of Financial Progress Amid Economic Challenges
Ahead of launching the FinScope South Africa Consumer Survey 2024 at the upcoming Responsible Finance Forum 2025 in Johannesburg, guest authors from FinMark Trust provide a historical perspective on the survey’s first 20 years.
Gender champions and allies are reshaping finance to empower women. Explore how FinMark Trust drives change and how you can support gender equity in financial systems.
This workshop spotlighted the critical role of gender-disaggregated data in shaping effective financial inclusion strategies. Without this data, women's financial realities remain invisible, leading to policies and products that miss the mark.
We're excited to have partnered with Women’s World Banking to host a special G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI) Side Event, spotlighting the progress and challenges of financial inclusion across Africa.
Our 2024 Annual Report highlights our commitment to driving meaningful change beyond traditional financial inclusion. With a focus on real impact, we are working towards building a more inclusive financial system that empowers and uplifts our region.
The MSME sector remains a vital source of income, especially for women and young people, despite changes since 2017 due to global challenges. MSMEs have grown by 18%, many remain informal, and business support services are underused.
The Government of Eswatini recognises the MSME sector’s role in strengthening the business climate and creating jobs, with the 2023 Blended FinScope MSME survey tracking changes since the 2017 baseline study to identify key growth opportunities.
The 2023 Eswatini MSME Launch Deck explores key findings from the survey, covering topics such as business insights, support and resilience to shocks, access to financial services, and an overview of financial inclusion.
The FinScope MSME Lesotho 2023 pocket guide highlights key insights on adoption of financial technologies, financial inclusion effectiveness, and the suitability of financial products and services for MSMEs.
The 2024 SADC Financial Inclusion Forum featured discussions on digital payments, regulatory frameworks, and innovation, promoting collaboration to enhance financial inclusion and regional investment opportunities.
Africa loses $88.6 billion annually to illicit financial flows, harming development. Financial inclusion can combat this by promoting transparency, reducing unregulated channels, and supporting economic growth.
UN Women has published an analysis of the current status of financial inclusion in SADC countries, with inputs from the SADC Secretariat and FinMark Trust. Read the factsheet.
Status of Financial Inclusion in SADC Member States
The UN Women report titled “Her Finance, Her Future – Building Stronger Economies One Woman at a Time” explores the status of financial inclusion in SADC, focusing on women's access to and use of financial services.
UN Women SADC Financial Inclusion Statistical Report
FinMark Trust is proud to have contributed to this comprehensive report. Download the Financial Inclusion and Gender in SADC Sub-region Status Report for the statistical findings.
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 presentation by Abel Motsomi, Senior Data and Analytics Specialist at FinMark Trust covers the latest findings tracks the progress of sector developments and financial inclusion in South Africa using the FinScope MSME 2020 as a benchmark.
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 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.
This webinar covers strategies to improve digital payments in Tembisa and Hammanskraal, highlighting the challenges these communities face and detailing the planned interventions to overcome them.
The presentation covers financial inclusion levels, access and usage trends, drivers and barriers, and the impact of COVID-19. FinScope aims to foster evidence-based dialogue for effective interventions to enhance financial inclusion in Malawi.
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 report highlights key survey findings, comparing national-level data to the 2014 survey results to track indicators and trends. It offers a full analysis, disaggregated by gender, age and location.
Este guia resume as conclusões do estudo de diagnóstico para apoiar o desenvolvimento de programas específicos de género para a inclusão financeira das mulheres nestes corredores.
Summary guide: Women’s Roles in Cross-Border Remittances
Cross-border remittances fuel livelihoods in the SADC region. This guide summarises key findings from the diagnostic study to support the development of gender-specific programmes for women’s financial inclusion in these corridors.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Our Annual Report shares our progress in advancing beyond traditional financial inclusion to bring about lasting change focussed on real impact. We're working to create a more inclusive financial system for our region.
Summary report: Women Cross-border Traders (Lesotho Corridor)
This report delves into the experiences of women in the South Africa to Lesotho corridor. It addresses crucial data gaps, aiding in targeted support for digital payments in Southern Africa.
Summary report: Women Cross-border Traders (Malawi Corridor)
This report delves into the experiences of women in the South Africa to Malawi corridor. It addresses crucial data gaps, aiding in targeted support for digital payments in Southern Africa.
Summary report: Women Cross-border Traders (Mozambique Corridor)
This report delves into the experiences of women in the South Africa to Mozambique corridor. It addresses crucial data gaps, aiding in targeted support for digital payments in Southern Africa.
Este relatório explora as experiências das mulheres no corredor da África do Sul para Moçambique. Ele aborda lacunas críticas de dados, auxiliando no suporte direcionado para pagamentos digitais no Sul da África.
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.
In the beginning, there was the bank account – a useful dispenser of transactional services. More recently, however, the financial services industry innovated and introduced mobile money as a disruptive financial service.
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.
Explore the impact of cross-border remittances from South Africa to Zimbabwe. The IOM commissioned this in-depth study to examine the role of cross-border remittances in households in Zimbabwe.
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.
