Cenfri contributes to building the fundamentals of welfare-enhancing digital economies. We prioritise digital transformation that is inclusive, sustainable, opportunity-creating and has appropriate safeguards. Digital transformation underpins much of our work and ranges from payments digitalisation to digital economy diagnostics, and digital skills assessments to direct digitalisation support. Cenfri also collaborates with policymakers and other public and private sector stakeholders in data-driven decision-making that is calibrated to the data available and is designed to strengthen the existing skills and data governance processes within these organisations. The Rwanda Economy Digitalisation Programme is our flagship evidence-informed policymaking and data-for-decisions intervention, but we have considerable experience in using evidence to generate insights and inform policymaking and business decision-making with a view to improved economic development outcomes. Our expertise in data, payments and digital identity enables us to contribute to current DPI (digital public infrastructure) conversations. |
One of the reasons so much emphasis is placed on digitalisation is that people hope digital technology will solve common, but hereto unresolved, challenges. While these digital solutions can be exciting, unless executed properly, there is always the risk of widening the digital divide. To achieve meaningful and sustainable digitalisation
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are considered engines of economic growth and development, especially in developing economies, yet they continue to be disproportionately rejected from trade finance. However, there is evidence that this barrier is not impacting all SMEs the same: women owned SMEs are more likely to be rejected
The Rwanda Economy Digitalisation Programme aims to support the Government of Rwanda in its vision of building an inclusive digital economy using data-driven policymaking. To support data-driven decision making through capacity building and development activities, Cenfri has welcomed eight data science interns to the team. These interns will spend the
Data is a powerful enabler of innovation: It helps financial service providers (FSPs) to better understand and serve consumers, as well as improve how they manage their own risks and business models. Data can also bestow market power. Key market players, such as large banks can wield the extensive client
A scoping study of five African countries Access to basic services –education, energy, health – is an important socio-economic development goal and directly relevant to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Yet, socio-economic challenges, infrastructure concerns and fiscal constraints still undermine many developing countries’ attempts to provide quality services
In our previous article, Can digital platforms transform first mile food logistics in Africa?, we discussed the importance of the agricultural sector to food security, income and employment in Africa as well as some of the challenges the sector faces in efficiently coordinating. We also introduced the role digital logistics platforms can potentially play in improving
New and proposed financial regulations, such as South Africa’s Pension Funds Amendment Bill, often make headline news because of their wide-reaching and often controversial impact. Financial regulations such as these underpin the financial system and have direct implications for consumers and how they engage with financial services. Whether the focus
Can digital platforms transform first mile food logistics in Africa? The agricultural sector is responsible for food security and is a major contributor to livelihoods across the globe, but particularly in Africa. The supply chains within the sector are vital to ensuring this contribution but they face severe fragmentation and efficiency challenges. Other industries, including logistics, have been disrupted by digital platforms and we want to explore how logistics platforms could improve the efficiency
How can data and data-driven technologies impact financial inclusion efforts in Africa? As the region with the most unbanked and underserved citizens, combined with a growing mobile penetration rate and emerging digital identity (DigiID) systems — sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) could prove fertile ground for beneficial data-driven technologies that facilitate digital
