NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

As BFA concludes its FIBR four-year action research program on accelerating digital and financial inclusion in East and West Africa, we ask ourselves:

1. Have superplatforms advanced financial inclusion? This was the hypothesis of our 2017 Inclusive Digital Ecosystems White Paper.
2. Have platforms done more for development than just increasing the financial services on offer, such as unlocking productivity and livelihoods in Africa?
3. If we believe platforms have a generative effect in the digital economy, how do we ensure platforms, little and big, local and global, continue to create and sustain generative value propositions for iWorkers: digitally-connected workers with smartphones, including young people, growing entrepreneurs, and micro and small businesses?

Join BFA / FIBR for a lunch-and-learn on Wednesday, December 3 at CGAP offices at from 12pm to 1:30pm.

Topics we will cover:

1. Two years later, superplatforms continue to advance financial inclusion despite some increased scrutiny and decline in trust in BigTech.
2. Superplatforms continue to organize and pull consumers into digital ecosystems. In Africa, BigTech superplatforms have not landed ashore but local superplatform-like players (Jumia and Cellulant) are growing market share.
3. Superplatforms are generative, which is a driver for pulling in consumers into digital ecosystems and and an incentive for workers seeking a source of income.
4. iWorkers are a future class of workers along the spectrum of informal-formal work, which policymakers can encourage by supporting progressive formalization.