African Financial Inclusion Policy Initiative (AfPI) - Alliance for Financial Inclusion

AfPI is the primary platform for AFI’s African members to support and develop financial inclusion policies, regulatory frameworks and other knowledge products in Africa, and to coordinate regional capacity building and peer learning efforts. Unveiled in May 2017, in Maputo, Mozambique, AfPI succeeds the African Mobile Phone Financial Services Policy Initiative (AMPI), which was launched in February 2013.

From AFI’s regional office in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, AfPI brings together high-level representatives from financial policymaking and regulatory institutions in Africa. Stakeholders from private sector entities, telecommunications regulators and international development agencies also participate in and support AfPI activities.
By establishing a platform for public and private engagement, AfPI aims to enhance the implementation of innovative financial inclusion policies in Africa.

Key AfPI initiatives include leaders’ roundtables, private-public dialogues, capacity building workshops, developed-developing country dialogues and experts group on financial inclusion policy meetings (EGFIP).

Active member
institutions

Countries

Policy changes

Knowledge products

Maya Declaration commitments

Annual AfPI Leaders’  Roundtables

EGFIP meetings

Capacity building workshops

Peer advisory programs on in-country implementation of financial inclusion policy

Regional Policy Frameworks

Establishment of the AFI Regional Office in Africa to strengthen the institutionalization of AfPI and support regional efforts

Leaders

Chair

Governor, Central Bank of Seychelles

Co-Chair I

Governor, Bank of Ghana

Objectives

Coordinate the formulation of financial inclusion policies that address regional challenges.

Harmonize policies and regulatory approaches to deepen financial inclusion in Africa.

Facilitate high-level discussions among leaders to provide strategic guidance that addresses financial inclusion challenges in Africa.

Enhance in-country implementation of financial inclusion policies in Africa.

Share regional financial inclusion lessons with the wider AFI network.

Elevate the regional voice on key financial inclusion policy issues in Africa.

Focus Areas

Reinforce the capacity building efforts of financial regulators to ensure that they keep up with the rapidly changing financial inclusion landscape and mitigate underlying risks.

Deepen the understanding of policy and regulatory approaches that enhance innovative financial services in Africa.

Reinforce the dialogue with private sector players and other related stakeholders through AFI’s public-private dialogue in Africa and other forms of cooperation.

Strengthen cooperation between financial and telecommunication regulators on issues related to digital financial services (DFS).

Deepen the understanding and learning of approaches for interoperable schemes or models to inform effective policy interventions for interoperability that support financial inclusion.

Promote DFS for agricultural micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and deepen the understanding of policy reforms to support agricultural finance.

Promote inclusive policies for women, especially by leveraging new technologies and promoting the adoption of regulations and financial consumer protection frameworks to advance women’s economic participation.

Strengthen synergies between microfinance institutions and DFS providers.

Facilitate the adoption of policy and regulatory approaches to enhance consumer protection for digital credit in Africa.

Governance & Structure