Improved economic opportunity and more resilient livelihoods are key to sustainable development in emerging markets. Interventions designed to support micro, small and medium-sized businesses (MSMEs), startup ecosystems and more established value-chains need to be effective in unlocking innovation and employment if they are to contribute to economic growth. Cenfri undertakes several areas of related work including:
Digital economy diagnostics
Support for fintech innovation and research on the platform economy
Digital transformation of MSMEs (including innovations in logistics and digital tools for tourism businesses)
MSME finance – payments, credit, investment and resilience (rethinking insurance to meet MSME needs and better manage the risks they face)
MSME segmentation
Technical assistance to the private sector
Scenarios linked to the future of work and food security
The benefits and challenges of systems practice for engaged ecosystem research At the beginning of this year, Cenfri set out to understand the tech innovation ecosystems in Cape Town, Nairobi and Lagos, joined (for the Lagos project) by our partners at the Lagos Business School. As perpetually curious researchers, we are well-versed in gathering large quantities of
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
In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, insurance should be a primary mechanism for many people across the world to cope. Instead, the limited penetration of insurance products in developing countries has pushed insurance to the periphery. However, all is not lost. Insurers still have a key role to play
For the last decade, Cenfri and other development partners have focused our approach to insurance development on the welfare implications for individuals and households. This remains valid – insurance plays a critical role in ensuring that people and households have the ability to mitigate unexpected financial shocks, preserve their assets
Africa is experiencing a wave of digital platform businesses emerging and few economic sectors are untouched by their influence. Relying predominantly on mobile-app-based technology, digital platforms have an impact on livelihoods through matching supply and demand of goods and services, opening up new channels for employment and distributing additional value-added
In our previous article, we reflected on the different ways that stakeholders can ensure the Cape Town tech ecosystem produces valuable innovation that is as inclusive as possible. While writing that article, the world changed. With many countries now applying varying degrees of social distancing, and with South Africa having
“The idea is that tensions and challenges in the city region also point to opportunities for innovation and that effectively harnessing the city’s diversity could provide Cape Town’s innovation ecosystem with a competitive advantage and distinguishing identity.” Last year, Cape Town made the top 30 global tech cities in the
The micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sector is arguably the biggest employer in many economies, particularly in the developing world. It’s also often the biggest source of jobs for marginalised segments such as women, youth and poor communities. But exactly how big is the sector, and how many jobs
This research explores the role of insurance in sustainable development and inclusive growth. DFID partnered with the World Bank, FSDAfrica and Cenfri to conduct a series of diagnostics in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and Rwanda to understand how insurance market development can contribute to sustainable and inclusive growth. The diagnostics explore
DataHack4FI country winner discovering the prospect of using financial management and accounting systems to generate credit scores Almost half the micro-, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Zambia – comprising approximately 80% [1] of Zambia’s private-sector businesses – perceive the lack of access to credit as a significant hurdle to their
