Policymakers, regulators and supervisors in emerging markets are under pressure to develop, implement and enforce policy and regulation that conforms to global best practice but is effective locally despite considerable constraints. Cenfri leverages the legal background, policymaking and regulatory experience of key team members and assists via direct regulatory development or policy guidance but more often through technical assistance and skills building.
Much of our work has been in the financial sector across Africa, Asia and Latin America. This includes an impressive “regulating for innovation” portfolio in support of financial sector regulators who are grappling with innovation or market development mandates in regulatory environments that do not effectively accommodate the range of risks presented by new financial service innovations. We also support improved digital and data governance in Africa. Examples range from creating a set of scenarios on the possible digital futures in Africa, to developing a data-sharing policy for the Government of Rwanda and researching fit-for-context open finance solutions for Africa.
This piece was published in partnership with GIZ. The global financial sector has undergone rapid changes in recent years and regulators are faced with the dual challenges of regulating a financial sector that is continually innovating, and ensuring the regulators themselves are leveraging technology to enhance their performance. Much has
Policymakers, especially in Africa, are facing unprecedented trade-offs between economic opportunity, national security, and climate sustainability. This article has been in the making for a while and the rapidly evolving global context makes it challenging to account for all the nuances, but some fundamental considerations persist. This is the first
2025 is a pivotal year in global development, as we are only five years away from the current deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With slowing economic growth and other macroeconomic challenges putting pressure on already declining development aid, exacerbated by the recent steps by the US government to
At the end of November 2024, Cenfri had the opportunity to participate in the BIS Workshop on fostering financial inclusion through open finance in Basel. The event was jointly organised by the Financial Stability Institute (FSI) of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), CGAP, and the World Bank. It brought
For the past three decades, Rwanda has had remarkable growth. Between 1999 and 2023, real GDP per capita grew on average 5% per annum. But the aim is even higher: Rwanda’s vision is to become a high-income country by 2050 and to reach this goal it would need to surpass
Rwanda’s journey toward becoming a high-income nation by 2050 is driven by clear strategic frameworks, one of which is the 2nd National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) for 2024–2029. This strategy focuses on five key priorities: creating productive jobs, boosting exports, improving education, reducing malnutrition, and enhancing public service delivery. However,
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
Over the last decade, football fans have increasingly been required to understand financial reporting and legal processes. Within the last season, two clubs (Everton and Nottingham Forest) were docked points after being found guilty of breaching the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). The objective of PSR is essentially
The promise of open finance has led to a rapid proliferation in countries exploring implementation globally. However, it also comes with costs and risks—particularly as highly sensitive personal information is being made shareable. For African regulators and policymakers, open finance is an important emerging trend that requires a clear understanding
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 piece was published in partnership with GIZ. The global financial sector has undergone rapid changes in recent years and regulators are faced with the dual challenges of regulating a financial sector that is continually innovating, and ensuring the regulators themselves are leveraging technology to enhance their performance. Much has
Policymakers, especially in Africa, are facing unprecedented trade-offs between economic opportunity, national security, and climate sustainability. This article has been in the making for a while and the rapidly evolving global context makes it challenging to account for all the nuances, but some fundamental considerations persist. This is the first
2025 is a pivotal year in global development, as we are only five years away from the current deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With slowing economic growth and other macroeconomic challenges putting pressure on already declining development aid, exacerbated by the recent steps by the US government to
At the end of November 2024, Cenfri had the opportunity to participate in the BIS Workshop on fostering financial inclusion through open finance in Basel. The event was jointly organised by the Financial Stability Institute (FSI) of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), CGAP, and the World Bank. It brought
For the past three decades, Rwanda has had remarkable growth. Between 1999 and 2023, real GDP per capita grew on average 5% per annum. But the aim is even higher: Rwanda’s vision is to become a high-income country by 2050 and to reach this goal it would need to surpass
Rwanda’s journey toward becoming a high-income nation by 2050 is driven by clear strategic frameworks, one of which is the 2nd National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) for 2024–2029. This strategy focuses on five key priorities: creating productive jobs, boosting exports, improving education, reducing malnutrition, and enhancing public service delivery. However,
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
Over the last decade, football fans have increasingly been required to understand financial reporting and legal processes. Within the last season, two clubs (Everton and Nottingham Forest) were docked points after being found guilty of breaching the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). The objective of PSR is essentially
The promise of open finance has led to a rapid proliferation in countries exploring implementation globally. However, it also comes with costs and risks—particularly as highly sensitive personal information is being made shareable. For African regulators and policymakers, open finance is an important emerging trend that requires a clear understanding
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
