The many aspects of Financial Inclusion

In this podcast, Jerry Macharia and Jackson Kamau unpack Rwanda’s FinScope 2024 DFS Report. They discuss how interoperability, gender inclusion, climate-smart finance, and responsible AI can drive meaningful financial inclusion and connect Rwanda’s progress to the 1.4 billion adults globally still left out of formal finance.

Fish farmers in Kenya wait 8–12 months to earn revenue, which poses risks to their survival. Limited access to credit & insurance increases that risk. What would enable large-scale investment in #aquaculture?​

In this podcast, MSC’s Inclusive Financial Ecosystem experts, Violet Kamau and Jackson Kamau, discuss how to enhance financial inclusion for forcibly displaced persons (FDPs). They address key barriers, highlight the impact of financial access, and share global lessons on how inclusive financial systems can empower FDPs, also highlighting successful countries that lead the way in inclusion.

In this podcast Emma Nyamusi Bundi and Mary Mutemi  explore how climate change is reshaping the landscape for small businesses in Kenya. They unpack the challenges MSMEs face  from droughts and floods to rising costs and discuss practical solutions and opportunities for resilience, innovation, and green growth.  

In this podcast, Albert Bundi and Emma Odera from MSC discuss how to expand access to formal finance for young farmers in Kenya. Their conversation highlights young agripreneurs' real struggles and the innovative solutions that can reshape the future of youth agrifinance in Kenya.

In this episode, join Shirleen Regina Olalo and Vineet from MSC’s Banking, Financial, and Insurance services team. Hear from them as they explore how parametric and inclusive insurance solutions drive climate resilience for MSMEs in developing markets to ensure faster, smarter risk protection.

In this podcast, MSC’s DFS experts, Gregory Ilukwe and Jackson Kamau, explore how agent networks have been transforming social protection in Ethiopia. This insightful conversation highlights key infrastructural barriers to financial inclusion, innovative solutions to bridge these gaps, and the critical role agents play in targeting, identity verification, and authentication for social benefit dist...

In this podcast, we host Mel Mosime, Director of Pic-A-Biz Consulting. We cover strategies to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem for South Africa’s women-owned microenterprises (WMEs). The conversation dives into initiatives to enhance WMEs’ resilience, partnerships between financial institutions and development partners to de-risk lending and encourage formalization, and the growing trend o...

In this podcast, we host Mpumi Maesela, CEO, Servicios Empresaviales (SE) Holdings. We cover strategies to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem for South Africa’s women-owned microenterprises (WMEs). The conversation dives into initiatives to enhance WMEs’ resilience, partnerships between financial institutions and development partners to de-risk lending and encourage formalization, and the gr...

In this podcast, Pauline Katunyo, a Housing Finance Expert at MSC, and Doreen Njau of MSC discuss Kenya's affordable housing crisis. This crisis has led to a deficit of more than 2 million units and primarily impacted the LMI households. They explore key barriers, such as high construction costs and limited financing options, and highlight innovative solutions, such as rent-to-own programs, in...

The role of market women and digital financial services in agriculture

Challenges faced by market women in accessing finance

Challenges faced by market women in accessing finance

In this podcast, Dennis Kuria and Judith Mwangoe, digital financial services (DFS) experts at MSC, discuss the role of digital financial services in locally-led adaptation initiatives.

In this podcast, Mandira Sharma and Jeanne Ng’ang’a from MSC discuss trends in Kenya's electric motorcycles (e-mobility) sector. They cover challenges hindering e-mobility adoption, the crucial role of local manufacturing, and available financing options for individuals and businesses transitioning to e-mobility.

This podcast delves into the strategies banks have been implementing to drive digital transformation to enhance the customer experience in Uganda.

In this podcast, Brenda Oyugi and Pauline Katunyo of MSC speak about the digital challenges women entrepreneurs face and solutions that empower them.

In this podcast, Nicholas Mungai, a financial inclusion expert at MSC, and Albert Bundi, an SME expert at MSC, have an insightful conversation about ways to address youth’s financial needs and overcome barriers to access finance for the youth.

In this second episode of our two-part series, Pranav Singh, a climate change expert at MSC, engages Tahira Mohamed, an interdisciplinary social scientist at ILRI, and Wendy Chamberlin, a development professional focusing on building climate resilience among pastoralists. They look at the value of equitable engagement and indigenous knowledge while shedding light on the role of financial inclusion...

In this podcast, Pranav Singh, a climate change expert at MSC, is joined by Tahira Mohamed, an interdisciplinary social scientist at ILRI and Wendy Chaplin, a development professional who works to build climate resilience among pastoralists. In this first episode of a two-part series, the speakers share their thoughts on the inequitable impact of climate change on female pastoralists.

In this podcast, financial inclusion expert at MSC Kim Kariuki is joined by Sybil Chidiac of The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Grace Majara of CARE USA, and Phyllis Kariuki of the World Food Programme. They each share their thoughts on access to group-based informal financial services and their usage.

This podcast brings together Brenda Oyugi (Manager, Digital Transformation) and Scholastica Kaaria (Gender Specialist) from MSC. They share their insights on the role of digital technology in women’s financial inclusion.

In our latest podcast, we feature Scholar Kaaria, a Gender specialist at MSC, and Willis Ogutu, a senior analyst at MSC. They unpack the digital divide and technology gap in gender, their drivers, and mitigation measures. Uncover what MSC is currently undertaking to helpo narrow the gender digital gap. Listen to this insightful conversation. 

This podcast featured Lemuel Mangla, the Head of Policy and Compliance at CIS Kenya, and MSC’s BFS Specialist Kim Kariuki. They discussed the monumental changes in Kenya’s credit scoring system. The government is moving the financial industry from blacklisting to a graduated model that allows even those with poor scores to access credit. More than 4 million Kenyans can now access formal credit wit...

In our latest podcast, Edward Obiko, Senior Manager, MSC, discusses with Anup Singh, MSC Africa Regional Director, and Richard Jabel, CEO of the Agent Banking Company, the vast opportunity to lend to cash-in cash-out (CICO) agents. Investors have an attractive opportunity to lend USD 0.5-1 billion to agents in nine diverse low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), such as Bangladesh, Côte d’Ivoire,...