Gender-focused Digital Financial Services, National Financial Inclusion Strategy and Consumer Protection Framework

	Country:	The Gambia
	Member institution:	Central Bank of the Gambia
	Timeline:	13 January – 30 September 2022
	Thematic area:	Gender Inclusive Finance, Consumer Empowerment and Market Conduct

Context

Financial inclusion is low in The Gambia, at just 19%, and there are low levels of financial literacy. 77% of youth are financially excluded, along with 83% of those who are informally employed. Only 5% of people are financially served via a bank, 3% by a microfinance institution, 2% borrow through formal financial institutions and 2% use mobile money.

The Central Bank of The Gambia (CBTG) launched the country’s first National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) in early 2022. Through this project, AFI and CBTG worked together to ensure the success of the NFIS, and to support the financial inclusion of vulnerable groups, notably women and youths.

Project Activities

• The CBTG developed a comprehensive implementation plan for the NFIS, outlining the key actions and steps required to achieve its goals.
• A training syllabus for Digital Financial Literacy was developed, enabling individuals to build their knowledge and skills.
• The CBTG established a system to collect sex-disaggregated remittance data.
• The CBTG developed a gender-sensitive consumer protection framework, to ensure financial inclusion initiatives adhered to gender-related considerations.
• Capacity-building programs were conducted for Village Savings and Credit Associations.
• Seven thematic Working Groups played a critical role in coordinating efforts and prioritizing actions to drive NFIS implementation.

Outcome

All of the project activities were satisfactorily delivered, thanks to the CBTG’s commitment to fostering financial inclusion and promoting gender-sensitive policies in The Gambia. Through the development of the implementation plan, training syllabus, remittance database system, consumer protection framework, and capacity-building initiatives, the CBTG has made significant progress in advancing financial inclusion and empowering individuals and communities throughout the country.