Season’s Greetings!
This year saw ConsumerCentriX extend its scope of work to a truly global level. From Latin America to Central Asia, we have progressed significantly in all areas of work, from gender-inclusive finance to fintech development and youth entrepreneurship – all with the aim of translating consumer insights into market strategies and policies to reach the un- and underserved.
With many of these projects either successfully completed or well underway, we take note of the mutual effort and motivation shown by all ConsumerCentriX consultants, team members, and partners.
From all of us at ConsumerCentriX – we wish you Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!
The Highlights of 2022
Global: Engaging Financial Regulators to Accelerate Digital Financial Inclusion
ConsumerCentriX has been convening the Bellagio Working Group for Digital Financial Inclusion since 2019. The Bellagio Group is a working group of top financial regulators from four markets – Nigeria, Indonesia, Egypt, and Mexico – that seeks to improve access to digital financial services as a way to reach the un- and underbanked with financial products and services. In 2022, the working group convened in person at the Bellagio Center to discuss “Reimagining Fintech Innovation to Accelerate Digital Financial Inclusion.” The meeting resulted in several important initiatives now underway, including the Fintech Bridge between Egypt and Nigeria – a first-of-its-kind collaboration focusing on cross-country referrals, joint innovation projects, information sharing, and talent development.
Latin America: Assessing Guatemala’s Digital Financial Services Market
The ConsumerCentriX team launched the Guatemala Digital Financial Services Market Assessment funded by USAID in collaboration with DAI. ConsumerCentriX has completed a supply-side landscape assessment and is currently engaged in market research to identify and test a DFS solution to improve formal financial services access and usage among low-income and marginalized populations, especially women.
Africa: Supporting Small and Medium Enterprises in Rwanda
Since 2019, the ConsumerCentriX team has been collaborating with BPR Bank Rwanda (formerly KCB Rwanda) on enhancing the bank’s capacity to deliver financial and non-financial services that meet the needs of its SME customers under the funding of the Argidius Foundation.
Central Asia, Europe: Youth in Business
In cooperation with International Project Consult (IPC), ConsumerCentriX was selected to support the development and roll-out of the programme in 11 countries of the Western Balkans and Central Asian regions. ConsumerCentriX is undertaking comprehensive market research of youth entrepreneurs gaining an in-depth understanding of their apparent and latent needs, challenges, behavior, most prominent segments, and profiles.
Latin America, Caribbean: Supply-Side Sex-Disaggregated Data Survey
As part of a regional initiative to advance women’s financial inclusion, IDB Invest, in partnership with the Women Entrepreneurs Financial Initiative (We-Fi), has retained ConsumerCentriX to design and implement a supply-side sex-disaggregated data survey in 13 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
What’s next for 2023?
Even though many global uncertainties remain, we have an optimistic view of the year to come. ConsumerCentriX will continue to engage in meaningful projects on a global scale, through which we will be able to deliver demonstrable impact in all fields close to our hearts.