The report presents both the opportunities of and the bottlenecks for furthering the digital agenda. It emphasizes that the first step is to get the basics right. This includes enabling access to and adoption...
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the important role digital financial services (DFS) can play in reducing disruptions to supply chains, maintaining economic activity, supporting social transfers and ensuring...
Artificial intelligence (AI) - the science of making machines act in rational, intelligent ways is rapidly making inroads into business operations and society. AI is already being applied in many areas...
Micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) face significant challenges in obtaining the financing and other resources they need to thrive. IFC, as a member of the World Bank Group, is committed...
Artificial intelligence (AI) the science of making machines act in rational, intelligent ways is rapidly making inroads into business operations and society. AI is already being applied in many areas of...
Artificial intelligence technologies are permeating financial services sectors around the world. The application of these technologies in emerging markets allows financial service providers to further...
Zambia’s seventh national development plan (7NDP) sets ambitious targets for economic growth and poverty reduction. Technology can play an important role as Zambia advances this vision for economic transformation...
Together with private sector investors, International Finance Corporation (IFC) has been leading a global effort to develop new guidelines for responsible investing in digital finance. These guidelines...
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is the private sector arm of the World Bank Group (WBG) and one of the leading investors and lenders in emerging markets. Efforts to strengthen the global financial...
Tienda Pago is an emerging fintech player that provides working capital solutions specifically targeted at merchants in FMCG supply chains. Launched in 2014, and with ongoing operations in Mexico and Peru...
Bangladesh’s largest mobile financial services provider, bKash, added mobile merchant payments to its service offerings in 2014. Three years later, more than 50,000 establishments throughout the country...
Zoona Zambia has created a specialized program to train more young women to become Zoona tellers, Zoona Kiosk owners, and community leaders. In 2014, Zoona was selected by the girl effect accelerator as...
Low-income women in the bustling city of Lagos, Nigeria are both time and resource poor. However, they seek services to park their money for larger spending purposes, such as business capital and school...
Dnet, a social enterprise based in Bangladesh, launched Aponjon (meaning the close and dear one in Bangla) in 2012. This service provides educational short message service (SMS) messaging to new and expectant...
In 2014, AMRET launched the first stage of its mobile financial services (MFS) program in Cambodia, called mobile tellers. The mobile teller provides door-2-door account registration, savings collection...
Most banks and financial institutions already have a lot of information on its current female clients. Institutions should spend time analyzing data and talking to female customers. What, if any, are the...
As Ghana’s largest indigenous bank, Fidelity Bank has always wanted Ghanaians to know that they can produce the same, if not better, levels of products and services as any international bank. In 2013...
Easy Paisa of Pakistan uses 75,000 agents and 6,000 plus 1-link enabled automated teller machines (ATMs) to facilitate 1.2 million Benazir income support payments (BISP) to poor women every quarter. Utilizing...
This report examines the current situation of financial exclusion for women globally, with a specific emphasis on the Pacific region. It aims to highlight the barriers and other exclusionary factors that...
The foundation for a broad push in mobile payments and banking is still under development. Regulations are supportive and clear enough that all four mobile operators have launched or are planning to launch...