Insights

Home

The suptech generations

Financial authorities’ use of technology has evolved over the years, leading to different generations of technology that culminate in what the paper considers as suptech. Suptech refers to the application of big data or artificial intelligence (AI) to tools used … Continue reading →

Revisiting superplatforms and their implications – FIBR briefing note

In the second FIBR White Paper, published in 2017, Olga Morawcynzski and David Porteous made the bold claim that “superplatforms” were coming to financial markets in Africa and elsewhere, and that this would change the nature of financial inclusion. In … Continue reading →

FinnSalud Pilot Phase Introductory Video

Traditional financial inclusion measurement focuses on quantifying access and use. By this measure, only 47% of Mexican adults have a formal deposit instrument, while 31% have formal credit ENIF 2018. The new FinnSalud project spoke with members of two financial … Continue reading →

Artificial Intelligence: Practical Superpowers

With knowledge comes power. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a powerful way to harness data into knowledge and into action. For financial services providers in Africa, the real value of AI and its forms, such as machine learning, lies in practical … Continue reading →

Publications

Our publications library offers a variety of insights such as briefs, white papers, and reports. Informed by our suite of services (e.g., Financial Diaries, qualitative research, strategic advisory, et al.), our experts develop these insights with the purpose of advancing a particular area of thinking within the sector.

See all publications

Blogs

BFA Global blogs provide fresh thoughts on topical themes within our Areas of Work, distill points from our major publications, and provide an opportunity for our experts to dive deeper into key aspects of our portfolio.

See all articles

Video + Podcasts

We make it a point to reflect on the impact we have made, and capture it via the lens and our voices. We have been able to produce some customer-centric videos and podcasts to capture their stories – see them here.

See them here

Infographics

Our library of infographics translate BFA Global’s on-the-ground research into visual representations that can be utilized as resources for a variety of stakeholders. They capture a project or investigation’s background, methodology, and key insights in a concise and visually engaging format.

See them here

Webinars + Presentations

We occasionally share our insights and latest thinking during in-person events in strategic locations. Other times, we are able to engage a larger audience by hosting and participating in various webinar series. Both formats are compiled here.

See them here

FinnSalud at FLII

This week at FLII the FinnSalud project hosted a session entitles – Data-driven strategies to catalyze financial health: One click at a time. The team debuted its web-based financial health chatbot, Frida, that engages users and provides them with … Continue reading →

“Digital pathways to inclusive growth: BFA Global’s next generation of work in livelihoods”

By David Porteous, Amolo Ng’weno and Ashirul Amin The new economy presents opportunities and risks for digital workers Our excitement about digital platforms is grounded in their nature as enablers and accelerators of the digital economy. They have deepened last-mile … Continue reading →

Why our money is on this Brazilian female fintech founder: meet Monica of Grão

This post was co-authored by Malika Anand and Thea Sokolowski. A former securities broker and two-time entrepreneur, Monica Saccarelli was the first female partner at Brazilian brokerage house Link Investimentos. Today, she is CEO of savings platform … Continue reading →

Webinar: Creating Better Futures for the 5 Million Young Gig Workers in Ghana

Webinar Summary BFA Global research shows that the rise of digital commerce has changed the nature of work and created a new category of workers called iWorkers — gig workers, eLancers, and e-commerce merchants or sellers — those who earn … Continue reading →

What will it take for Nigeria’s inclusive fintech sector to flourish?

This post was co-authored by Thea Sokolowski and Malika Anand. Despite a notoriously challenging operating environment, there are signs of improvement for fintech startups in Nigeria. Financial inclusion rates are surprisingly low (41.6% remain excluded), but mobile penetration rates are … Continue reading →

Catalyst Fund welcomes new cohort of inclusive fintech startups

Catalyst Fund welcomes new cohort of inclusive fintech startups creating solutions to improve the financial health of underserved communities and small businesses. Continue reading →

Catalyst Fund announces expansion, $15 million in funding from UK aid, J.P. Morgan

Global inclusive fintech accelerator Catalyst Fund announces new £12 million GBP ($15 million USD) commitment from UK aid and J.P. Morgan to advance financial inclusion in emerging markets New commitment to help fund the growth of 30 early-stage companies focused … Continue reading →

The growing “pull” of income generation through platforms

In this Briefing Note David Porteous, BFA Global Founder and Chair – picks up the storyline around the income-generative characteristics of superplatforms. This attribute is not exclusive to superplatforms but can apply to digital work platforms of all kinds. In … Continue reading →

Revisiting superplatforms and their implications – FIBR briefing note

How to design PAYGo operational models to improve repayment

There has been a lot of work exploring why some pay-as-you-go (PAYGo) solar customers stop paying after they are initially granted a loan, most of which has focused on the customer and challenges they encounter, for example, short-term cash flow … Continue reading →