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.

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.

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.

FinScope South Africa Consumer 2021 Results - Webinar

FinScope Botswana 2020 Consumer Survey Report

The objectives of FinScope Botswana 2020 were to understand the adult population in terms of, Livelihoods and how they generate their income, financial needs and demands, financial perceptions, demographic and geographic distribution.

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

Sustainable data collection for development Report

With sustainability of data collection in mind, the i2i has set out to test whether or not mobile tech could be used to offer faster and more cost-effective collection.

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

We release wave 1 data for our multi-country Covid-19 Livelihoods Impact Survey.

No country or continent is untouched by COVID-19; but developing markets will see more short- and long-term negative social and economic effects than the developed world.

Policymakers, development organisations and private sector players, often rely on financial inclusion data uncovered through consumer or ‘demand-side’ surveys.

The continued journey of data science interns, Dieudonné Niyitanga and Samuel Mutinda

The movement of Africa’s rapidly growing urban population will be shaped by digital technologies in the era of smart mobility.

Dieudonné Niyitanga and Samuel Mutinda's data internship journey.

Read our report and insights on the financial needs of Mexicans, a pilot study in collaboration with the Mexican regulator, CNBV.

Read our summary report of the findings from the Financial Needs pilots, in partnership with AFI members from Mexico, Nigeria, Kenya, Philippines and Zimbabwe.

Often policy makers, regulators and financial service providers are far removed from the realities of the people whose lives we are trying to improve.

Using SMS surveys to measure digital financial inclusion

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

Exploring the relationship between platforms, participants and financial services.

A measurement framework for digital financial services with a focus on digital payments.

We have changed the user experience on the insight2impact data portal by making it simpler to navigate.

Exploring behavioural interventions to increase formal remittances.

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

A cautionary tale about the process of setting up pilot studies

Learnings on the data science landscape in Africa from the DataHack4FI initiative

The MSME (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise) sector is arguably the biggest employer in many economies, particularly in the developing world

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.

Client data and its role in inclusive insurance

Marissa Dean of Caribou Digital talks data and digital development in the financial sector. 

Prof Bitange Ndemo speaks to us about data, blockchain and innovation in Africa.

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

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

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)

Using transactional and CRM data to identify an underserved consumer segment

Applying relatively simple analytical methods to traditional data can yield positive returns for organisations.

Exploring how financial service providers collect, store and use data in six countries.

TransUnion Kenya CEO Billy Owino suggests collecting richer data on consumers can contribute to 'information for good'.

Survey findings from six African countries

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

Options for sustainable data collection

DataHack4FI Season 1 in-country winner for Ghana

Guidelines, standards and best practices for spatial data

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

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

Find out why Olubayo Adekanmbi believes data innovation + local knowledge = transformation.

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

Legal experts answer questions about the implications of data regulations for FSPs in Africa.

Entrepreneur-turned-VC-partner talks about the exciting world of fintech in Africa.

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

A case study exploring how data can be used to overcome financial services delivery challenges.

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 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.

Exploring the potential of alternative data for creating new markets

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

I bought myself a fitness band recently and I’ve found it quite useful in encouraging me to get off the couch.

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

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 widespread use of the mobile phone and other smart devices has presented researchers with a golden platform to collect data in more innovative and creative ways.

Catch up with three winning teams from DataHack4FI.

Discussing some innovative quantitative methods that could be used when conducting financial inclusion research.

Innovative research techniques help us to delve deeper into the dynamics of financial inclusion.

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

DataHack4FI innovation competition brochure

The journey to the DataHack4FI finals

Faith started her enterprise with her own income and lacks access to finance to grow beyond the few fruit stalls she owns.

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

As you leave Kampala and its busy streets, you head into rural Uganda where you exchange small shops

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

Thoughts from the first event in the #DataHacks4FI meet-up series in Naroibi

Nkosi introduces the i2i Applications Lab

i2i launches the DataHacks4Fi competition series

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

Mobile-based banking system that enables farmers to access credit

What does big data mean for microinsurance?

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

ILO 1st community of practice meeting

KCB’s Experience with Data

4th MasterCard Foundation Symposium on Financial Inclusion

Using innovation to enhance financial inclusion whilst protecting personal data

Building sustainable geospatial data resources

Where we are with the collection and use of GIS data

FSD Uganda invites FSPs to explore new data, new opportunities

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

Getting the basics of demand-side surveys right

This report provides an overview of innovations and best practice in data collection

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

Why the problem with demand-side surveys is not the respondents’ answers, but the questions we ask them

Alternative data sources and analytical methodologies

Consumer protection in SADC

Worldwide, countries have been increasing their efforts to expand the financial services sector, particularly to low income consumers.

Revisiting the role of technology in demand-side surveys in lower tech and lower literacy environments

7 Applications for GIS Data

GIS is increasingly informing decision-making in financial inclusion.

GIS4FI process Note: Zambia

This process note serves to capture key learnings.

Worried about how to improve your credit score? At least you have one.

More and more financial service providers (FSPs) are looking to data to inform investment decisions

Credit Information Sharing Project Close-Out Report

A wide divergence exists in the level of credit information sharing across different SADC

GIS4FI Process Note: Mozambique

This process note serves to share key details

Mapping of potential financial services distribution channels in SADC

The aim of the study is to produce a mapping of potential financial services distribution channels in SADC.

Mapping the retail payments services landscape regional report

The report is part of a series commissioned by FinMark Trust to examine the retail payments landscape in Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Mapping the retail payment services landscape in Zambia

This report is part of a series commissioned by FinMark Trust to examine the retail payments landscape in Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Mapping of retail payment services landscape in Malawi

This report is part of the series commissioned by FinMark Trust to examine the retail payments landscape in Malawi.

Mapping the Retail Payment Services Landscape in Zimbabwe

This study hypothesizes that the ability to make payments conveniently and affordably has a material impact on the financial lives of the poor.

Mapping the retail payment services landscape in Mozambique

The research points to many challenges ahead of efforts to provide and encourage use of convenient and affordable formal payment services

FSC mortgage loan performance with real data

FSC mortgage loan performance with real data presentation delivered at the FinMark Forum in August 2011.

FinScope Consumer Survey Zimbabwe 2011 Brochure

FinMark Trust in conjunction with the Ministry of Finance embarked on a FinScope survey which was conducted by the ZIMSTAT from July 2011 to November 2011.

FinScope Lesotho 2011

View the FinScope Lesotho 2011 Brochure

FinScope Swaziland 2011 Brochure

The Ministry of Finance established the Micro-Finance Unit in September 2010 to facilitate the development and sustainability of the microfinance sector in the country.

FinScope Consumer Survey Namibia 2011 Report

View the FinScope Consumer Survey Namibia 2011 Report

FinScope Swaziland launch 2011

See the FinScope Swaziland launch presentation.

FinScope livelihoods approach

FinScope livelihoods approach.

FinScope Mozambique 2009 Report

FinScope Mozambique 2009 is the first national survey of its kind, in which a representational cross-section of all adult Mozambicans have been interviewed comprehensively

Botswana FinScope 2009 Report

The findings from the FinScope 2009 suggest that 41 percent of the adult population is banked and 59 percent are unbanked.

FinScope Uganda 2009 Final Report

The studies cover the demand, usage and access to all types of financial institutions from commercial banks

Survey on Demand for Financial Services in Botswana

See the Survey on Demand for Financial Services in Botswana - FinScope 2009 presentation.

FinScope Uganda 2009 Brochure

The Ugandan government has made considerable efforts to reform and develop the country's economy.

The Access to Finance Presentation

See the Access to Finance study presentation in Pakistan.

FinScope Malawi 2008 Report

FinScope Malawi 2008 was commissioned by the Ministry of Finance and the FinMark Trust, with funding from the UKAID

The potential for mobile phone banking in Zambia

This paper aims to assess if the mobile phone has any additive or transformational potential in Zambia.