Technology has played and will continue to play a central role in financial sector development in Africa and in enabling Africans to access financial services and products.

In 2019, FSD Kenya and Turaco – a Kenyan microinsurtech startup providing simple, low-cost health and life insurance products to emerging market consumers – collaborated on a three-month pilot project in with a leading digital lender in Kenya. The study found that 80% of respondents were most interested in an in-patient cover to cushion the cost of hospital admissions, saying getting such insurance for free is incentive enough to repay their loans on time. Almost 50% of the treatment group opted in to having insurance payments added to their future loans, citing the idea of low-cost insurance from a financial service provider they know and trust as a key incentive.

Why is agricultural sector the least funded sector in Kenya by the formal financial sources despite being the largest sector in terms of GDP contribution (at over 50% GDP contribution directly and indirectly)?

The agricultural sector in Africa is yet to take off despite being the dominant employer and the key contributor to the gross domestic product (GDP) for most countries on the continent.

This year’s lecture titled “Financing Kenya: 2020 hindsight for Vision 2030” was delivered by Dr. David Ferrand. David is a long-time observer of the Kenyan financial sector. He played a key role in FSD Kenya’s inception nearly 20 years ago and served as its director until June 2019.

On 19th November 2019, the 5th FSD Kenya Annual Lecture took place at the University of Nairobi’s Chandaria Auditorium. Dr David Ferrand, a long-time observer of the Kenyan financial sector and former FSD Kenya director was the speaker at this year’s event.

On the evening of Tuesday November 19th 2019, FSD Kenya held its fifth annual lecture on financial inclusion at the University of Nairobi’s Chandaria Auditorium.

This year’s lecture titled “Financing Kenya: 2020 hindsight for Vision 2030” was delivered by Dr. David Ferrand. David is a long-time observer of the Kenyan financial sector.

On the evening of Tuesday November 19th 2019, FSD Kenya held its fifth annual lecture on financial inclusion at the University of Nairobi’s Chandaria Auditorium.

The 4th FSD Kenya annual lecture on financial inclusion is set to take place on the 8th of November 2018. This year’s lecture titled, “The inevitable: a glimpse of the future of fintech” will be delivered by Julian Kyula, an accomplished entrepreneur and business leader recognized locally and internationally.

Internationally recognised tech entrepreneur, Julian Kyula, was the guest speaker at the 4th FSD Kenya Annual Lecture that took place on 8th November 2018 at the Chandaria Center for Performing Arts, University of Nairobi Towers.

For us, Fintech only matters if it is helping Kenyans solve real-world problems or seize genuine opportunities.

FSD Kenya is pleased to announce that its 4th annual lecture on financial inclusion will be delivered by Julian Kyula on the 8th of November 2018.

Digital credit has become a leading source of credit in Kenya. Who is using digital credit and what impact is it having on low-income customers?

The financial services for the poor, or more specifically financial inclusion, industry has realised in the recent past that more and better information about its target client-base is essential to delivering services effectively.

Five years after Kenya launched the world’s first digital credit solution, the market for digital credit has expanded rapidly in Kenya and many low-income countries. But exactly how big is the market? Who’s using digital credit? And what impact is it having on low-income customers?

Meaningful financial solutions can help poor people manage day to day, deal with risk and invest in the future.

DFS Lab Announces Startup Boot camp in Tanzania, Calls on Applicants to Apply

n May 2017, I had the honour of being on a fascinating Euromoney panel about expanding the digital financial ecosystem. One of the many topics that we discussed was the dearth of debt financing available for fintechs and start-ups limiting the potential for scale.

As we trudged through Kivani Secondary School’s third term student attendance records, one absenteeism after another greeted us. Per our analysis in preparation for Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with selected parents and guardians at the school, the average student missed about 13% of class time. I didn’t give it much thought then.