African Digital Platforms and the Future of Digital Financial Services

These infographics were originally published by Cenfri, an organization supporting financial inclusion and financial-sector development through facilitating better regulation and market provision of financial services. This publication was created by Renée Hunter, Chernay Johnson, and Matthew Dunn. 

View the 8 infographics online on the Cenfri website. 

The insight2impact facility ׀ i2i in partnership with Research ICT Africa have created this series of infographics to describe their key findings on multi-sided platforms as part of the exploration on the rise of African digital platforms, and the individuals that earn income through them (platform workers) in 8 African countries.

Between 26 June and 14 September 2018, i2i conducted a systematic scan of active multi-sided platforms in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. All identified platforms and key characteristics are captured in an interactive database (URL), and there are more publications forthcoming on the relationship between increased platform activities and financial inclusion.

In 2017, Research ICT Africa conducted the After Access Survey. This is a nationally representative survey in a number of Sub-Saharan African countries, including Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. This survey focused on individuals’ access and usage of the internet, including for the purposes of earning income on multi-sided platforms.

Together, these two data sources provide a unique view of the African digital platform economy from both the supply- and demand-side.