Now reading: Sizing the ‘grey economy’: Using geospatial data to uncover the true extent of the MSME sector in emerging markets

Resilience & Insurance


Cenfri has deep insurance expertise from working with the insurance markets in Africa, Latin America and Asia. Insurance penetration in these markets is often low and we understand the need for responsible market innovation so that insurance fulfils its optimal role in building resilience, supporting business growth, and contributing to broader policy and development objectives.

The breadth of Cenfri’s insurance and resilience work spans diagnostic studies, development of global and regional standards and national regulations, technical assistance and innovation support (to regulators and the private sector), innovation studies, MSME-tailored resilience solutions, improved risk management in response to climate-related events, and definitive work on cell captives.

Our partners include GIZ, Access to Insurance Initiative (A2ii), the UK’s FCDO (formerly DFID), the FSD Africa and other financial sector deepening trusts, the Swiss Capacity Building Fund, FSCA, Hollard, Santam, Old Mutual, AXA, Britam, Generali, the Microinsurance Network, UNCDF, UNDP, The World Bank, IFC, IADB and ADB. 

Digital Transformation & Data

The financial needs of Mexicans

How do Mexicans solve their financial needs? This report outlines the findings from a study carried out by insight2impact in collaboration with Comision Nacional Bancaria y de Valores (CNBV) of Mexico to gauge how Mexicans meet their financial needs, especially when it comes to send and receive money, manage liquidity,

Cenfri Accra Ghana insurance for growth
MSMEs, Ecosystems & Economic Opportunity

The role of insurance for development

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

Regulating for Innovation webinar
Governance, Policy & Regulation

Regulating for innovation: an evolving framework

This focus note aims to equip regulators with a decision framework that illustrates the available tools required to regulate for innovation. Why is it necessary to regulate for innovation? Digital innovation is changing the nature of financial markets. Innovation can create opportunities, enhance efficiencies, increase competition, drive scale, and improve

Payments & Remittances

Insurtech Tracker

The rise of insurtechs in emerging markets In light of the insurtech trends, Cenfri wanted to understand to what extent insurtechs in emerging markets are able to better serve the customer and provide more value to both the insurer and the end-user. Our initial work considered insurtech in microinsurance, types

Africa’s financial service providers
Consumer Outcomes

The application of behavioural interventions

As we explore how behavioural science can narrow the gap between customer intention and customer action, we have started to look at examples from specific financial services. Two sectors identified as playing a role in improving the lives of the financially excluded are insurance and formal remittances. Behavioural interventions and

Digital Transformation & Data

You matter more than you think: The role of actuaries in the digital age

Traditionally, actuaries find themselves poring over mortality tables and calculating complicated risks with limited data, particularly in emerging markets. With the advent of the fourth industrial revolution, this is changing. The world seems to be revolving around data. Data is making our lives more convenient. We have fridges that order

Digital platform ecosystem
Digital Transformation & Data

The potential of digital platforms as distributors and enablers of insurance in Africa

The past decade has seen the emergence of digital platforms. These digital platforms (also known as multi-sided platforms[1]) connect buyers and sellers of goods and services and allow them to seamlessly transact with one another. They are providing new ways for workers, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and consumers

Governance, Policy & Regulation

Regulating for responsible data innovation

The role of insurance regulators in dealing with risks relating to consumer data protection and privacy Data innovation is challenging the traditional role of insurance regulators. Two major dilemmas emerge that insurance regulators and indeed all financial sector regulators face when confronted with how to regulate consumer data: They must

Regulating for Innovation webinar
Resilience & Insurance

10 years, eight trends: Where does microinsurance go from here?

8 trends that will shape the future of microinsurance As Cenfri and the ILO’s Impact Insurance Facility turn 10, they reflect on the last decade of microinsurance and identify eight trends that will shape its future over the decade.     This work forms part of the Risk, Remittances and