Context:
The intersection of digital technologies and microfinance is one of the focus areas of AFI, especially given the opportunities technology provides in enhancing microfinance institutions (MFIs), at the MFI level (improved efficiency, reduced costs, etc.) and at the customer level (convenience, digital footprint, etc.). AFI commissioned this study to provide more efficient and relevant guidance to its members (financial regulators and supervisors) in the area of digitization of microfinance services.

Objectives:
The objective of this study is to underscore the role of technology in enhancing, efficiency and viability of the microfinance industry in Africa. It seeks to understand the synergy between digital financial services and microfinance institutions and develop policy and regulatory recommendations that facilitate the digital transformation of microfinance services to deepen financial inclusion in Africa.

Deliverables:

1. Production of outline and methodology for the study
2. Literature review
3. 10+ stakeholder interviews among MFIs, MNOs, and Fintechs
4. Report writing and publication

Context: The European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE) fosters economic development and prosperity by providing loans to microfinance institutions and banks in the region.

Objective: Identify the Partner Lending Institutions who would benefit from branchless banking development assistance.

Deliverables: Diagnosis of the competitive landscape; a strategy to enter the marketplace; and recommendations for adapted technical assistance to the identified partners.

Context: As part of the Payment Digitalization project, Al Barid Bank Morocco, subsidiary of Groupe Poste Maroc, is developing a network of agents to make banking services accessible to all and everywhere in the country. The bank wants to allow both customers and non-customers, to benefit from an agent banking offer at competitive rates.  A training program was designed to help people directly involved in the agent network management acquires the skills needed to run the new banking channel.

Objectives: At the end of the training, the trained staff should have acquired the necessary skills to effectively deploy and manage a successful agent network.

Deliverables: The first training was held in Marrakech for a 16-person cross-functional group of Al Barid Bank involved in the pilot phase of the project. The team included supervisors, field officers, and back-office support officers. A second training took place in Casablanca for supervisors, managers and head office officers of Barid Cash, a payment subsidiary for a total of 16 people.

The training took the participants on the network development journey: From selection and recruitment to onboarding, from monitoring and to performance improvement, using case studies from different countries.

Context: IFC needed a macroeconomic overview of Egypt and Tunisia including; financial and telecom sectors; regulatory environment and distribution network for mobile money service providers.

Objective: Evaluate opportunities to offer transformational mobile financial services initiatives and assess what role IFC could play to support development in the industry.

Deliverables: Diagnosis of the competitive landscape; defined strategy to enter the marketplace and provided recommendations on investors’ objectives.

Context: Oxford Policy Management, ShoreBank International and the Palestinian Authority wanted to investigate how to reach and enhance the cost-effectiveness of delivery channels for banking and payments in Palestine.

Objective: Conduct a study on expanding available services at the point of sale; create a national payment switch and an interoperable ATM and POS network; develop the legal framework for electronic transactions, which support mobile financial services.

Deliverables: Assessment of market, technical and financial considerations for establishing a national switch company to connect all banks; deployment and management of POS to offer merchant acquiring services; recommendation on two scenarios to set up the company, and carried out project plans to execute both scenarios.

Context: Review the market in West Bank for establishing and engaging a banking services company. The remit of this company would include the operation of a national switch and management of the POS and merchant acquiring.

Objective: Assess the payments landscape in Palestine and advise on how technology could cost-effectively enhance the reach of banking and payment products.

Deliverables: Produced report addressing the future of financial inclusion and recommendations on how to expand the service at POS; create a national and interoperable switch and prevent information asymmetries that limit access to credit.

Context: Understand the synergy between digital financial and microfinance institutions in providing access to finance to individuals and small businesses

Objective: The overall objective of this consultancy assignment is to underscore the role of technology in enhancing, efficiency and viability of the microfinance industry in Africa.

Deliverable: Created a report on the digital transformation of microfinance and digitization of microfinance services to deepen financial inclusion in Africa. Developed policy and regulatory recommendations that facilitate the digital transformation of microfinance services to deepen financial inclusion in Africa and pave the way toward the advancement of strategic collaboration for AFI and its partners in the Africa region

Context: Review the market in West Bank for establishing and engaging a banking services company. The remit of this company would include the operation of a national switch and management of the POS and merchant acquiring.

Objective: Assess the payments landscape in Palestine and advise on how technology could cost-effectively enhance the reach of banking and payment products.

Deliverables: Produced report addressing the future of financial inclusion and recommendations on how to expand the service at POS; create a national and interoperable switch and prevent information asymmetries that limit access to credit.