Cenfri has broad experience in fit-for-purpose payment systems in emerging markets, particularly in Africa. We work towards making retail payments a public good, assisting central banks, payments operators and payment system participants navigate domestic and cross-border payments modernisation in a manner that contributes to economic inclusion. We have worked extensively in instant/faster retail payment systems and in improving access to remittances for low-income households. Other projects range from diagnostic and landscaping studies, developing a national payments vision, to analysing payments legislation and regulation, and feasibility studies on central bank digital currency (CBDC). The convergence of payments and identity, as well as the focus on digitising the entire value chain rather than limited use cases, is central to our theory of change in digital payments. We have worked with IFAD’s Financing Facility for Remittances, the World Bank, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, AfricaNenda, FSD Africa, FSD Kenya, GIZ, UNCDF, BankservAfrica, Finmark Trust, the African Union and the Alliance for Financial Inclusion. |
Real-time retail payments that enable consumers to send and receive cross-border and domestic transactions digitally are on the rise globally. The increasing proliferation of QR codes, apps, tap-and-go card technology, and small-value payments using proxy identifiers (aliases) such as phone numbers and email addresses have made payments one of
There’s no disputing the contribution of migrant remittances to the economic well-being of friends and family back home. For many African countries, the value of remittance flows exceeds that of foreign direct investment. However accessing the money via formal channels can be challenging for recipients who are faced with Know
How different types of alternative and traditional client data solve key challenges in inclusive insurance provision This publication adds depth to the discussion of the use of client data in inclusive insurance provision, by examining the specific applications of different types of data to different key insurance activities. The explosion
Last week, Cenfri was in Brussels to present at the BRS microfinance lunch on what we deem to be the holy grail of microinsurance – voluntary take-up (something highly desirable but very hard to achieve). The BRS microfinance lunch is a semi-annual series that provides an opportunity for the KBC
How do we understand illicit financial flows from a financial integrity perspective? Illicit financial flows (IFFs) are understood to have a negative impact on the growth and development of countries as they drain them of resources that could have been utilised for social spending and other important functions. Moreover, they
I recently participated in a panel at the IAIS Global Seminar in Moscow where a regulator from the audience asked a very relevant question: Given the scale of technological change in my market, how do I still ensure effective regulation? It is a question we’re increasingly hearing from financial sector regulators and
Exploring digital fiat currencies (DFC) / central bank digital currency (CBDC) Cryptocurrency has taken the financial world by storm since 2008 through its ability to deliver peer-to-peer payment that is faster, cheaper, more secure, more convenient and more efficient than traditional legacy-based banking systems. As a result, cryptocurrency is increasingly
The housing shortfall in Africa is immense. For instance, the World Bank (2017) estimates that across eight countries in West Africa about 800,000 new housing units are needed every year to address the housing shortages. Yet, banks in these countries collectively only issue 15,000 new mortgages per year. Similar shortages
The housing shortfall in Africa is immense. For instance, the World Bank (2017) estimates that across eight countries in West Africa about 800,000 new housing units are needed every year to address the housing shortages in those countries. Yet, banks in these countries collectively only issue 15,000 new mortgages per
Across industries, businesses are collecting, storing and using increasing amounts of consumer data. This has been made possible by the growth in broadband connectivity, particularly through smartphone penetration, and the increased capacity to collect and share data on individuals. Technological developments in data analytics have increasingly allowed businesses to use
Migration is on the rise in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), both in terms of migrants going to live abroad as well as within the region. With an ever-increasing need among these migrants to frequently and securely send money back home to support their networks of dependants, one would expect formal remittance
