-
In Pursuit of a Cashless Africa: Learning from Nigeria’s Struggle to Accelerate its Transition to Digital Finance
The use of cash for payments is dwindling globally, while the electronic payments industry is burgeoning. As Osahon Akpata at Ecobank points out, this growth is also happening in Africa, though cash still remains king. He highlights several factors that are driving both the growth of digital finance and the ongoing usage of cash on the continent, exploring how African countries can accelerate their transition to a cashless economy — and what they can learn from Nigeria's struggles in that area.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology, Telecommunications
-
Understanding Digital Public Infrastructure: What it Means — and Why it Matters — to Businesses and Governments in Emerging Markets
In recent months, there has been an outpouring of media coverage and analysis on the topic of digital public infrastructure (DPI). David Porteous, Priya Vora, Ravi Shankar Chaturvedi and Peter Rabley explore the ongoing efforts to develop a shared understanding of what DPI means, and how it can impact global digital development. They urge DPI stakeholders to look beyond narrow, government-centered use cases and existing digital systems to envision next-generation applications based on public and private sector collaboration.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
-
Using AI to Transform Impact Measurement: Overcoming Language Barriers in Global Development Research
Language and cultural barriers often create a “listening divide” between the providers and beneficiaries of global development programs. According to Daryl Collins and Pravarakya Reddy Battula at Decodis, these barriers make it difficult to develop effective anti-poverty solutions — and artificial intelligence (AI) can play a key role in addressing them. They discuss how Decodis is using AI technology to facilitate survey data collection and analysis in its poverty alleviation research, and highlight the role human intelligence must still play in guiding these efforts.
- Categories
- Technology
-
Progress in Bridging the Digital Divide: Key Mobile Industry Innovations that are Bringing Internet Access to Developing Countries
More than a third of the world’s population have never used the internet, and closing this digital divide is an increasingly urgent global development priority. But as Andy McLean at Analog Devices explains, there’s more to the digital divide than a simple lack of internet access, as the problem is driven by other factors like affordability, users’ knowledge and skillsets, and access to electricity and reliable identification. He explores how the mobile industry is innovating to address this multifaceted challenge in developing countries.
- Categories
- Technology, Telecommunications
-
The Overlapping Impacts of Off-Grid Solar: Four Ways Innovative Funding Can Enable the Sector to Advance Global Climate and Poverty Goals
How can the off-grid solar sector achieve its energy access and climate-related goals? Laura Fortes and Drew Corbyn at GOGLA argue that there’s one clear answer to that question: more and better finance. They discuss four ways innovative funding models can enable the sector to rapidly and radically accelerate progress toward universal energy access and other development goals.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Investing, Technology
-
Navigating the Customer Engagement Cycle in the World’s ‘Mobile-Only’ Continent: How to Reach African Customers in a Shifting Online Landscape
Customer engagement has evolved over the years, as businesses' focus has shifted from continually acquiring new customers, to building long-term relationships with existing ones. But as Ayodeji Balogun at Terragon explains, businesses in Africa often struggle to foster this long-term engagement due to the complex nuances of the market — including the unique ways customers use digital tools. He explores how businesses can leverage mobile technology to optimize customer engagement in Africa, while navigating the market’s specific needs and challenges.
- Categories
- Technology
-
The Jobtech Landscape in Africa: Assessing the Challenges and Opportunities in a Critical Sector
What really is the future of work in Africa? Michelle Hassan at BFA Global, and Chris Maclay and Bethany Hou at the Jobtech Alliance argue that it will be driven by the growing use of technology to enable, facilitate or improve people’s work opportunities, productivity and livelihoods — an emerging sector that’s collectively known as “jobtech.” They share new insights into the key players, business models, trends and opportunities across Africa's jobtech industry.
- Categories
- Technology
-
The Global Digital Health Monitor: A New Resource Advances the Digital Transformation of Global Health Systems
COVID-19 catalyzed the scaling of a variety of digital health interventions in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). But as Patricia Mechael at HealthEnabled points out, this has not translated into the sustained digital transformation of healthcare in many of these markets. As broader technological advancements create a strong enabling environment for digital health in LMICs, she explores how a new resource, the Global Digital Health Monitor, can help these countries strategically advance their digital health transformation.
- Categories
- Health Care, Investing, Technology, Telecommunications
Subscribe to Our 'Business in Global Development' Newsletter!
Our new weekly LinkedIn newsletter features NextBillion's latest original articles, along with curated news, jobs, bizdev opportunities and events from our recent coverage of impact-focused business in emerging markets.
We respect your privacy. Your information is safe and will never be shared.
Don't miss out. Subscribe today.