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Digital Transformation & Data

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.

Regulating for innovation toolkit
Digital Transformation & Data

Regulating for innovation: A supervisory toolkit

A supervisory toolkit to help regulators navigate their role and guide decisions in regulating for innovation.   The need to create an environment that enables innovation is an increasingly important priority for financial regulators across the developing world. Regulatory mandates have expanded and financial regulators are increasingly legally responsible for the conduct of business, consumer outcomes and proactive market

Read More »
26 March, 2021
Digital platforms supporting MSMEs through Africa’s COVID-19 crisis
Digital Transformation & Data

Digital platforms supporting MSMEs through Africa’s COVID-19 crisis

The global COVID-19 pandemic has emphasised the importance of connectedness – and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) across Africa are no exception. As MSMEs begin a path to recovery in 2021, digital platforms can be a way to get them reconnected. The impact of COVID-19 on MSMEs in Africa

Read More »
15 March, 2021
Africa fintech radar
Digital Transformation & Data

Building the first pan-African fintech census and digital map

Africa Fintech Network (AFN), in partnership with global data analytics firm findexable and independent African think tank Cenfri, are launching the first pan-African fintech census and digital map to track fintech activity across the whole of Africa. The Africa Fintech Radar initiative will drive visibility and awareness of Africa’s fintech innovation ecosystems before a

Read More »
30 November, 2020
Consumer Outcomes

Building foundations for new behavioural scientists in Africa

Behavioural science studies how people behave and tries to answer why they behave in the way they do. This is done by looking at how people process information and how context affects our decisions. Being aware of their customers’ decision-making processes can help financial services providers develop products that really

Read More »
14 November, 2020
Digital app services in sub-Saharan Africa sees promising start
Consumer Outcomes

Digital app services in sub-Saharan Africa sees promising start

Expanded smartphone access in Africa underpins evolving consumer behaviour. Smartphone uptake in Africa is growing rapidly. GSMA reported that smartphone adoption in sub-Saharan Africa reached 45% in 2018 – nearly half a billion people – and is projected to reach 66% by 2025. To put that further into perspective, 623

Read More »
7 October, 2020
How do we develop work-ready youth in a digital age?
Digital Transformation & Data

How do we develop work-ready youth in a digital age?

Although Kevin has a master’s degree in science and had been teaching ICT to secondary school students in Kenya for over 25 years, he scored just 61% on a digital skills test run by Cenfri. This test asked participants to research and digitally present a day trip to Nairobi for German

Read More »
3 September, 2020
Innovation ecosystem
Digital Transformation & Data

Innovation ecosystems in sub-Saharan Africa: How to enable flourishing innovation?

Insights from Cape Town, Nairobi and Lagos  With a growing number of tech start-ups, hubs, accelerators and other innovation facilitators, Cape Town, Nairobi and Lagos have put themselves on the map as important innovation ecosystems in Africa. Innovation is a key force for economic growth and development. Not only can it lead to greater efficiencies and productivity, it also

Read More »
31 August, 2020
FinTecHub and Cenfri: partnership announcement
Digital Transformation & Data

FinTecHub and Cenfri: partnership announcement

FinTecHub and Cenfri are pleased to announce the signing of their new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This MoU underlines the shared interest of FinTecHub and Cenfri in developing and strengthening African fintech, and Rwandan fintech in particular. FinTecHub is Rwanda’s dedicated virtual accelerator that supports selected Rwandan fintech start-ups to

Read More »
28 August, 2020
Eswatini CBDC diagnostic study
Consumer Outcomes

Eswatini Central Bank Digital Currency diagnostic study

Central banks across the developed and developing world have begun considering the possibility of implementing a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) to enhance drivers for economic growth and financial sector development such as financial inclusion, digital financial services and national payment system (NPS) efficiency. CBDC is a digital representation of

Read More »
13 August, 2020
Regulating for innovation toolkit
Digital Transformation & Data

Regulating for innovation: A supervisory toolkit

A supervisory toolkit to help regulators navigate their role and guide decisions in regulating for innovation.   The need to create an environment that enables innovation is an increasingly important priority for financial regulators across the developing world. Regulatory mandates have expanded and financial regulators are increasingly legally responsible for the conduct of business, consumer outcomes and proactive market

26 March, 2021
Digital platforms supporting MSMEs through Africa’s COVID-19 crisis
Digital Transformation & Data

Digital platforms supporting MSMEs through Africa’s COVID-19 crisis

The global COVID-19 pandemic has emphasised the importance of connectedness – and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) across Africa are no exception. As MSMEs begin a path to recovery in 2021, digital platforms can be a way to get them reconnected. The impact of COVID-19 on MSMEs in Africa

15 March, 2021
Africa fintech radar
Digital Transformation & Data

Building the first pan-African fintech census and digital map

Africa Fintech Network (AFN), in partnership with global data analytics firm findexable and independent African think tank Cenfri, are launching the first pan-African fintech census and digital map to track fintech activity across the whole of Africa. The Africa Fintech Radar initiative will drive visibility and awareness of Africa’s fintech innovation ecosystems before a

30 November, 2020
Consumer Outcomes

Building foundations for new behavioural scientists in Africa

Behavioural science studies how people behave and tries to answer why they behave in the way they do. This is done by looking at how people process information and how context affects our decisions. Being aware of their customers’ decision-making processes can help financial services providers develop products that really

14 November, 2020
Digital app services in sub-Saharan Africa sees promising start
Consumer Outcomes

Digital app services in sub-Saharan Africa sees promising start

Expanded smartphone access in Africa underpins evolving consumer behaviour. Smartphone uptake in Africa is growing rapidly. GSMA reported that smartphone adoption in sub-Saharan Africa reached 45% in 2018 – nearly half a billion people – and is projected to reach 66% by 2025. To put that further into perspective, 623

7 October, 2020
How do we develop work-ready youth in a digital age?
Digital Transformation & Data

How do we develop work-ready youth in a digital age?

Although Kevin has a master’s degree in science and had been teaching ICT to secondary school students in Kenya for over 25 years, he scored just 61% on a digital skills test run by Cenfri. This test asked participants to research and digitally present a day trip to Nairobi for German

3 September, 2020
Innovation ecosystem
Digital Transformation & Data

Innovation ecosystems in sub-Saharan Africa: How to enable flourishing innovation?

Insights from Cape Town, Nairobi and Lagos  With a growing number of tech start-ups, hubs, accelerators and other innovation facilitators, Cape Town, Nairobi and Lagos have put themselves on the map as important innovation ecosystems in Africa. Innovation is a key force for economic growth and development. Not only can it lead to greater efficiencies and productivity, it also

31 August, 2020
FinTecHub and Cenfri: partnership announcement
Digital Transformation & Data

FinTecHub and Cenfri: partnership announcement

FinTecHub and Cenfri are pleased to announce the signing of their new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This MoU underlines the shared interest of FinTecHub and Cenfri in developing and strengthening African fintech, and Rwandan fintech in particular. FinTecHub is Rwanda’s dedicated virtual accelerator that supports selected Rwandan fintech start-ups to

28 August, 2020
Eswatini CBDC diagnostic study
Consumer Outcomes

Eswatini Central Bank Digital Currency diagnostic study

Central banks across the developed and developing world have begun considering the possibility of implementing a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) to enhance drivers for economic growth and financial sector development such as financial inclusion, digital financial services and national payment system (NPS) efficiency. CBDC is a digital representation of

13 August, 2020