Africa's Hidden Giants

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 continues to be a significant gap across the African continent with regards to increasing access to high quality and affordable healthcare. Brick and mortar healthcare solutions continue to play a major role in improving access to care, accelerated by the push toward Universal Healthcare Coverage. Technology has demonstrated the ability to strengthen health systems, leveraging existing platforms to increase access. These innovative strategies such as digital health are needed to ensure long term success in the continent. However, their successful deployment on a wider scale faces several challenges on the continent. We will be discussing the opportunities, the risks and myths associated with digital health transformation and the successes achieved to-date.