Policymakers, regulators and supervisors in emerging markets are under pressure to develop, implement and enforce policy and regulation that conforms to global best practice but is effective locally despite considerable constraints. Cenfri leverages the legal background, policymaking and regulatory experience of key team members and assists via direct regulatory development or policy guidance but more often through technical assistance and skills building.
Much of our work has been in the financial sector across Africa, Asia and Latin America. This includes an impressive “regulating for innovation” portfolio in support of financial sector regulators who are grappling with innovation or market development mandates in regulatory environments that do not effectively accommodate the range of risks presented by new financial service innovations. We also support improved digital and data governance in Africa. Examples range from creating a set of scenarios on the possible digital futures in Africa, to developing a data-sharing policy for the Government of Rwanda and researching fit-for-context open finance solutions for Africa.
Innovation can enable insurance to become a powerful engine of growth and development across the continent, but achieving this requires that market players and regulators work together to build an ecosystem in which responsible innovation can thrive. For regulators, doing so means not only understanding the current state of innovation
Nothing illustrates the incredible power of data-driven decision-making more than the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Lamenting the disparities in genomic sequencing data from high versus lower-middle income countries, Professor Happi, from the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases in Nigeria, has talked about the pressure they experienced early
Over the last decade, football fans have increasingly been required to understand financial reporting and legal processes. Within the last season, two clubs (Everton and Nottingham Forest) were docked points after being found guilty of breaching the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). The objective of PSR is essentially
The promise of open finance has led to a rapid proliferation in countries exploring implementation globally. However, it also comes with costs and risks—particularly as highly sensitive personal information is being made shareable. For African regulators and policymakers, open finance is an important emerging trend that requires a clear understanding
On 1 December 2024, South Africa will take over the G20 presidency. This is a fantastic opportunity for Africa. In his recent Troika high-level address at the United Nations (UN), International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola, announced that South Africa’s presidency will prioritise the Global South, particularly the African
Policymakers are challenged to develop policies that will have a positive social impact. For instance, input subsidies for farmers have been widely used as a mechanism to alleviate poverty in rural areas, targeting smallholder farmers. But how can policymakers be sure they are achieving the intended objectives of the policy?
Cenfri, in partnership with the GIZ I-FIN project, is providing technical assistance to the Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ). In line with Jordan’s Economic Modernisation vision to position Jordan as a fintech hub in the region, the CBJ has prioritised its objective to improve the enabling environment for fintech and
Innovation can enable insurance to become a powerful engine of growth and development across the continent, but achieving this requires that market players and regulators work together to build an ecosystem in which responsible innovation can thrive. For regulators, doing so means not only understanding the current state of innovation
Through strategic partnerships and focused initiatives, the Rwanda Economy Digitalisation (RED) programme has made significant progress in promoting data-driven decision-making in the country. I sat down with our Partnerships and Country Lead, Arlette Rwakazina, to talk about some of the achievements and challenges of the programme to date. We also
The South African Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA’s) publication of their Open Finance Policy recommendations (dated March 2024) is a promising step in moving the market towards growing the data sharing ecosystem in South Africa, but has it come too late? My interest is both as a South African consumer
There’s no disputing the contribution of migrant remittances to the economic well-being of friends and family back home. For many African countries, the value of remittance flows exceeds that of foreign direct investment. However accessing the money via formal channels can be challenging for recipients who are faced with Know
