Digital Infrastructure

According to the World Bank “Financial inclusion means that individuals and businesses have access to useful and affordable financial products and services that meet their needs, delivered in a responsible and sustainable way”. Current estimates show about ~55% of Africa’s population is unbanked and ~40% are living in poverty. Fortunately, novel financial technologies and innovative banking systems have begun to revolutionize this dynamic in recent times. This panel will explore three main themes: 1) What does financial inclusion mean in Africa, who exactly has been excluded historically and why is it important to bring them in? 2) What is the responsibility of industry participants to drive financial inclusion and help lift the continent out of poverty? 3) What does the future of Financial Inclusion in Africa look like?

There is a lack of focused discourse highlighting innovation in exceptional talent identification and development in Africa. There is an urgent need to harness/unlock the potential of Africa’s demographic dividend by way of its youthful population. This panel will seek to learn from a diverse set of entrepreneurs at the forefront of reimagining how we educate the world’s youngest population. We will explore how for- and non-profit models face incredible opportunities and challenges as they scale across borders on the continent.