Whether it is digital payments, resilience for MSMEs or financial integrity, much of our work is underpinned by the desire to create more inclusive financial systems and services. Cenfri has successfully implemented several multi-year financial inclusion programmes:
Making Access to Financial Services Possible or MAP (in partnership with UNCDF and FinMark Trust)
insight2impact or i2i (in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Mastercard Foundation)
Risk, Remittances and Integrity or RRI (with FSD Africa)
Remittance Access Initiative (with IFAD’s Financing Facility for Remittances)
Our view is that while financial inclusion targets (such as the percentage of adults with a bank account) are valid, they don’t tell you much when tracked in isolation. It is important to understand whether people use their financial services, and if so, whether this enables them to meet their needs. We have developed six financial inclusion measurement frameworks that outline this expanded understanding of financial inclusion.
We acknowledge the importance of women’s financial inclusion and apply a gender lens to much of our work.
This blog series was written as part of GIZ’s Governance of Digital Finance project. Women across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are driving economic growth, with women-led businesses contributing approximately 13% to Africa’s total GDP. Digital financial services (DFS) play a key role in supporting their contributions. However, several challenges continue to
This blog was written as part of GIZ’s Governance of Digital Finance project. Blog 2 of 3. In our previous blog, we noted that despite increased access to mobile phones and identity documentation (IDs), women in sub-Saharan Africa remain less likely to hold a formal financial or mobile money account.
This blog was written as part of GIZ’s Governance of Digital Finance project. Blog 3 of 3. Women-owned MSMEs (WMSMEs) create an estimated 18 million jobs across the continent and contribute approximately 13% to Africa’s total GDP. Within the broader WMSME landscape, cross-border trade represents a crucial yet often overlooked
This blog was written as part of GIZ’s Governance of Digital Finance project. Blog 1 of 3. According to the 2025 Findex, women’s account ownership now stands at 77% globally, up from 58% in 2014. This progress matters, as digital financial services (DFS) are shown to enhance women’s economic opportunities
Too often, financial systems overlook the lived realities of women, leading to products, policies, and market structures that do not adequately serve them. In an effort to change this, Cenfri applies a gender lens across its financial inclusion and market diagnostics work. We have developed a portfolio of related work
For those in development, 2025 has been a bit of a wild ride and many organisations have been doing some introspection. The team at Cenfri has been thinking about how we can continue to pursue evidence-driven impact, financial independence and sustainability with an inspired, capable and purpose-driven team (our enduring
Women-led nano and micro enterprises (WNMEs) are central to local economies and household livelihoods, yet they remain underserved by mainstream financial systems. This new CGAP report, Diverse Paths: Finance for Women’s Nano and Micro Enterprises, draws on research from India, Kenya, and Uganda to explore the structural and financial barriers
Our work at Cenfri rarely follows the typical rhythms of the calendar year, yet, as 2024 draws to a close, we thought it would be good to reflect on what we’ve achieved. It’s been a busy few months: we’ve worked on around 50 projects and undertaken work-related travel to 19
How can we prevent high healthcare costs and low insurance penetration from driving people into poverty? Imagine facing a medical emergency without insurance and having to choose between your health and financial stability. This is the harsh reality for many Kenyans, with 38.6% living below the poverty line and catastrophic
On 1 December 2024, South Africa will take over the G20 presidency. This is a fantastic opportunity for Africa. In his recent Troika high-level address at the United Nations (UN), International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola, announced that South Africa’s presidency will prioritise the Global South, particularly the African
This blog series was written as part of GIZ’s Governance of Digital Finance project. Women across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are driving economic growth, with women-led businesses contributing approximately 13% to Africa’s total GDP. Digital financial services (DFS) play a key role in supporting their contributions. However, several challenges continue to
This blog was written as part of GIZ’s Governance of Digital Finance project. Blog 2 of 3. In our previous blog, we noted that despite increased access to mobile phones and identity documentation (IDs), women in sub-Saharan Africa remain less likely to hold a formal financial or mobile money account.
This blog was written as part of GIZ’s Governance of Digital Finance project. Blog 3 of 3. Women-owned MSMEs (WMSMEs) create an estimated 18 million jobs across the continent and contribute approximately 13% to Africa’s total GDP. Within the broader WMSME landscape, cross-border trade represents a crucial yet often overlooked
This blog was written as part of GIZ’s Governance of Digital Finance project. Blog 1 of 3. According to the 2025 Findex, women’s account ownership now stands at 77% globally, up from 58% in 2014. This progress matters, as digital financial services (DFS) are shown to enhance women’s economic opportunities
Too often, financial systems overlook the lived realities of women, leading to products, policies, and market structures that do not adequately serve them. In an effort to change this, Cenfri applies a gender lens across its financial inclusion and market diagnostics work. We have developed a portfolio of related work
For those in development, 2025 has been a bit of a wild ride and many organisations have been doing some introspection. The team at Cenfri has been thinking about how we can continue to pursue evidence-driven impact, financial independence and sustainability with an inspired, capable and purpose-driven team (our enduring
Women-led nano and micro enterprises (WNMEs) are central to local economies and household livelihoods, yet they remain underserved by mainstream financial systems. This new CGAP report, Diverse Paths: Finance for Women’s Nano and Micro Enterprises, draws on research from India, Kenya, and Uganda to explore the structural and financial barriers
Our work at Cenfri rarely follows the typical rhythms of the calendar year, yet, as 2024 draws to a close, we thought it would be good to reflect on what we’ve achieved. It’s been a busy few months: we’ve worked on around 50 projects and undertaken work-related travel to 19
How can we prevent high healthcare costs and low insurance penetration from driving people into poverty? Imagine facing a medical emergency without insurance and having to choose between your health and financial stability. This is the harsh reality for many Kenyans, with 38.6% living below the poverty line and catastrophic
On 1 December 2024, South Africa will take over the G20 presidency. This is a fantastic opportunity for Africa. In his recent Troika high-level address at the United Nations (UN), International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola, announced that South Africa’s presidency will prioritise the Global South, particularly the African
